Bepartment 


BY 


MINNIE  K.  L.  KARNELL 


4B^«tt<|C{<H«&<Hgt<iHg><a' 


0i  OF  FR/^ 


BV  1578  .K3  1919 

Karnell,  Minnie  Karine  Lund 

Mathisen,  1876- 
The  Home  department 


-0^  CF  PR/v^ 


?|ome  department 


A 

e 


BY    y 

MINNIE  K.  L.  KARNELL 

CHAIRMAN  OF  THE  HOME  DEPARTMENT  COMMITTEE, 
INTEBNATIONAL  SUNDAY  SCHOOL  ASSOCIATION 


PHILADELPfflA 

THE  WESTMINSTER  PRESS 
1922 


Copyright,  1919, 
By  F.  M.  Braselman 


Contentfif 

PAGE 

Introduction 5 

Foreword 7 

I.  Six  Great  Aims  of  the  Home  Department 9 

II.  History  and  Organization 19 

III.  Members,  Their  Duties  and  Privileges 25 

IV.  Officers,  Their  Qualifications  and  Duties 28 

V.  The  Art  of  Visitation 34 

VI.  The  Quarterly  Council  Meeting 39 

VII.  The  Home  Department  Canvass 43 

VIII.  Standing  Committees  and  Their  Work 47 

IX.  Social  and  Special  Occasions 52 

X.  Cooperating  with  the  Sunday  School 59 

XI.  Family  Worship  and  Responsible  Christian  Par- 
enthood     67 

XII.  The  Home  Department  and  the  Teaching  of  Self- 

Knowledge 74 

XIII.  Group  Work 78 

XIV.  District,  County,  State,  and  International  Or- 

ganization     83 

XV.  State  Standards 89 

Bibliography 94 


Snttobuction 

The  home  is  God's  holiest  and  earliest  school.  No 
organization,  divine  or  human,  was  ever  intended  to 
supplant  it.  It  is  in  the  home  that  the  young  growing 
lives  should  get  their  first  impressions  of  God  and  their 
first  lessons  in  God's  great  Book. 

The  ideal  of  the  father  being  the  priest  in  the  home 
and  the  mother  the  priestess  and  teacher  and  guide  to 
the  tender  lives  of  the  children  has  never  been  abro- 
gated. It  is  just  this  that  affords  the  greatest  oppor- 
tunity for  the  Home  Department,  for  where  the  Home 
Department  is  recognized  and  carried  out  according  to 
the  modern  plans  in  any  home,  there  God's  Word  is 
studied,  and  if  there  be  children  they  become  familiar 
with  the  Book  and  are  early  taught  to  pray. 

Then,  too,  where  there  are  no  little  people,  in  the 
chamber  of  sickness,  in  the  solitude  of  old  age,  in  the 
room  of  the  shut-in  for  any  cause,  and  with  those  who 
are  unable  to  attend  the  services  of  the  house  of  God 
for  any  reason,  the  Home  Department  comes  as  a 
blessing  from  the  heavenly  Father. 

This  book,  written  by  one  whose  heart  is  ready  to 
burn  to  the  socket  for  the  advancement  of  Home  De- 
partment ideals,  will  find  a  hearty  reception  as  it  goes 
forth  into  the  world.  It  will  be  found  not  only  to  be 
a  manual  for  workers,  but  a  source  of  inspiration  as 
well.  That  it  may  greatly  increase  Bible  study  in  the 
homes  and  bring  joy,  confidence,  and  rest  to  many 
hearts  is  my  wish  and  prayer. 

Marion  Lawrance. 


The  ideal  of  the  Christian  Church  is  the  Christian 
home  as  a  unit.  The  reahzation  of  this  ideal  is  the 
high  aim  of  the  Church.  The  strongest  force  in  the 
service  of  the  Church,  in  working  for  the  attainment 
of  this  ideal,  is  the  organized  Sunday  school,  and  the 
strong  right  arm  of  the  Sunday  school  is  the  Home 
Department.  This  department  has  for  its  field  all 
who  for  any  reason  cannot  or  will  not  attend  the  regular 
sessions  of  the  school. 

The  work  of  the  whole  school  is  to  give  to  the  whole 
family  the  Word  of  God;  to  teach  and  train  the  whole 
family  to  know  God,  to  love  his  Word,  to  worship  and 
serve  him,  and  to  bind  together  in  close  unity  the  three 
most  powerful  factors  in  the  building  of  Christian  char- 
acter, the  home,  the  Church,  and  the  Sunday  school. 

This  book  is  written  for  those  who  have  had  a  vision 
of  the  possibilities  of  the  Home  Department  and  who 
are  now  engaged  in  its  work.  It  is  sent  forth  with  the 
hope  that  it  may  inspire  them  to  renewed  zeal  and 
greater  efficiency  and  with  a  prayer  that  it  may  lead 
to  a  clearer  understanding  of  its  value,  and  a  deeper 
appreciation  of  its  opportunities  and  responsibilities, 
those  who  have  not  as  yet  added  this  department  to 
their  Sunday-school  work. 

This    book    does    not    concern    itself    with    untried 

7 


8  jForetoorb 

theories,  but  with  theories  which  have  been  put  into 
practice  and  found  to  work.  Every  plan  suggested, 
and  every  method  explained,  has  been  used  by  the 
writer  or  carried  out  with  success  under  her  own  obser- 
vation by  those  with  whom  she  has  been  associated  in 
the  work  for  fifteen  years,  as  a  local  superintendent, 
county  superintendent,  member  of  State  Home  De- 
partment Council  and  member  of  State  Home  Depart- 
ment Committee,  state  superintendent,  member  of  In- 
ternational Home  Department  Committee,  secretary 
of  the  International  Home  Department  Commission, 
and  chairman  of  the  International  Home  Department 
Committee. 


&ix  (great  ^ims?  of  tfje  H^omt  department 

The  most  important  factor  in  a  nation's  life  is  the 
home.  The  one  aim  of  the  Home  Department,  at  its 
inception,  was  the  systematic  study  of  the  Bible  in 
the  home.  While  it  has  held  true  to  its  original  pur- 
pose, its  sphere  of  usefulness  has  widened  and  deep- 
ened, till  an  up-to-date  Home  Department  now  has  six 
outstanding  aims: 

1.  To  secure  the  systematic  study  of  God's  Word  on  the  part 
of  the  individual  and  to  make  membership  in  the  Sunday  school 
possible  for  all. 

In  spite  of  the  great  enlightenment  of  the  age,  the 
widespread  knowledge  of  God's  Word,  the  increased 
activity  for  political  and  social  reforms,  and  the  multi- 
plicity of  organizations  of  the  Christian  Church,  we 
have  come  upon  a  condition  in  the  home  life  of  the 
nation  that  is  alarming.  The  home  has  gradually 
given  up  its  duties  and  functions,  abdicated  its  rights 
and  prerogatives,  until  there  is  danger  that  it  will  be 
no  longer  the  center  for  building  a  nation  in  virtue, 
religion,  and  prosperity. 

The  first  great  need  is  the  revival  of  the  study  of  the 
Bible  in  the  home.  In  thinking  of  any  community  it 
is  possible  to  call  to  mind  a  vast  army  of  people  who 
are  never  seen  in  Sunday  school  or  church.     Many  of 

9 


10  tE^{)e  ?|ome  department 

them  are  hindered  from  attending  by  reasons  wholly 
beyond  their  control :  mothers  with  little  children  or 
other  household  cares;  the  sick  and  the  shut-ins  and 
those  who  care  for  them;  the  aged,  many  of  whom 
were  once  active  in  the  work  of  the  Church  and  Sun- 
day school.  Then,  too,  our  economic  and  social  life  has 
made  it  impossible  for  thousands  of  others  to  attend 
because  they  are  employed  on  the  Lord's  day.  There 
are  also  multitudes  who  are  far  away  from  any  church 
or  Sunday  school,  in  lumber  camps,  mining  districts, 
and  great  farming  sections,  and  on  the  sea. 

Fifty  years  ago  the  Sunday  school  was  largely  con- 
sidered a  children's  school  No  plan  had  been  perfected 
for  reaching  youths  and  adults  and  those  who  could  not 
attend.  To-day  the  Sunday  school  not  only  has  classes 
for  all  those  who  can  attend,  regardless  of  age;  it  is 
also  making  it  possible  for  those  who  cannot  attend  to 
share  in  the  privileges  and  blessings  of  the  organized 
Sunday  school  through  its  Home  Department. 

2.  To  aid  in  every  possible  way  in  the  continuance,  restora- 
tion, and  erection  of  family  altar  worship,  and  to  furnish  a  simple 
plan  for  those  without  family  ties  to  have  daily  devotions. 

If  the  first  great  need  of  the  home  is  a  revival  of  Bible 
study,  the  second  great  need  is  a  revival  of  family  wor- 
ship. The  home  should  be  God's  first  and  holiest 
school.  Surely  the  Christian  family  should  gather  at 
least  once  a  day  for  the  reading  of  God's  Word  and 
prayer,  but  we  deceive  ourselves  if  we  think  that  this 
is  the  usual  practice  even  with  Church  members.    It 


^ix  (Bvtat  ^imsi  of  fte  J^omt  department        11 

would  perhaps  be  difficult  to  find  a  church  where  even 
one  fourth  of  the  members  observe  family  worship. 
Yet  it  should  be  the  right  of  everj^  child  to  look  back 
in  the  hour  of  temptation  and  be  able  to  recall  the 
voices  of  father  and  mother  in  prayer  and  in  the  read- 
ing of  God's  Word.  Such  a  picture  in  the  gallery  of  the 
human  mind  is  the  strongest  shield  against  the  enemies 
of  the  soul.  No  work  of  any  organization  in  the  Church 
or  outside  of  it  can  compare  in  influence  with  the  years 
spent  in  such  a  home  as  is  spoken  of  in  Rom.  16:5 
where  the  church  was  in  the  house.  If  the  Home  De- 
partment did  nothing  more  than  enlist  families  and 
individuals  in  home  worship  it  would  be  of  permanent 
value  in  any  Sunday  school  or  church. 

A  statesman  tells  the  story  of  a  visit  which  he  made 
to  a  small  western  town.  There  were  no  hotels  and 
he  was  entertained  in  a  private  home.  His  mission 
was  not  above  reproach,  and  he  was  anxious  to  retire 
to  his  room  to  avoid  being  questioned  by  his  host.  The 
father  called  the  family  together,  saying,  "Our  guest 
wishes  to  retire,  so  we  will  not  detain  him."  He  handed 
the  Bible  to  the  eldest  son,  who  read  a  chapter,  after 
which  the  father  prayed.  He  prayed  earnestly  for 
those  in  authority,  that  they  might  be  kept  true  to 
their  trust.  Then,  mentioning  his  guest  by  name,  he 
prayed  that  he  might  have  no  cause  to  look  back  upon 
this  visit  with  regret.  That  night  the  statesman  could 
not  sleep.  "The  whole  night  through  the  fight  raged 
in  my  soul,"  he  said,  "and  with  morning  I  returned  to 
my  home  without  carrying  into  effect  my  plan.    That 


12  tlTfte  l^ome  department 


family  altar  did  for  me  what  years  of  churchgoing  had 
failed  to  accomplish.  I  am  now  a  servant  of  the  Most 
High  God." 

3.  To  secure  the  sympathetic  interest  and  helpful  cooperation 
of  the  home  in  all  the  work  of  the  Sunday  school  and  church. 

One  of  the  needs  most  keenly  felt  by  all  Sunday-school 
workers  is  the  lack  of  cooperation  between  the  Sunday 
school  and  the  individual  home.  This  is  perhaps  due 
in  part  to  the  fact  that  a  large  number  of  the  children 
come  from  homes  where  the  parents  themselves  are  in- 
different to  the  church  and  the  school.  In  many  in- 
stances the  attendance  of  the  children  in  the  Sunday 
school  is  due  entirely  to  the  active  efforts  of  the 
Sunday-school  workers,  not  infrequently^  in  the  face 
of  active  opposition  on  the  part  of  the  parents.  Still 
we  realize  that  unless  we  can  interest  the  homes  in 
the  work  of  the  school,  and  secure  their  sympathetic 
cooperation,  much  of  the  Sunday-school  work  will  fall 
short  of  the  desired  result.  It  is  here  that  the  Home 
Department  has  found  a  wonderful  opportunity  for 
service. 

A  pastor  of  a  church  in  New  Jersey  told  me  that  two 
thirds  of  his  Sunday-school  children  came  from  homes 
which  had  no  other  connection  with  the  church,  and 
added:  ''How  are  we  to  secure  the  cooperation  of  these 
homes?  We  have  the  children  for  about  an  hour  and 
a  half  on  the  Sabbath  Day;  without  some  help  from 
the  home,  the  results  are  very  doubtful.  In  some  of 
these  homes  there  is  no  real  opposition  but,  what  is 


^tx  (Bttat  ^imsi  of  tfje  f^ome  department        13 

just  as  harmful,  an  attitude  of  life-killing  indifference. 
If  we  keep  forever  after  the  children,  the  parents  will 
let  them  come;  when  we  stop  persuading,  the  children 
stop  coming."  A  year  later  I  was  invited  to  address  a 
gathering  of  Home  Department  members  and  Sunday- 
school  workers  in  that  church.  The  pastor  with  beam- 
ing face  told  me  that  they  were  really  solving  the  prob- 
lem through  the  Home  Department  visitor,  who  was 
bringing  constantly  to  the  attention  of  the  home  the 
aims  and  the  work  of  the  school,  and  interesting  the 
parents,  as  real  members  of  the  school,  through  the 
Home  Department. 

4.  To  reach  the  home  a  helping  hand  in  the  teaching  of  self- 
knowledge  and  the  fundamental  truths  of  life  and  purity. 

There  is  perhaps  no  subject  so  generally  discussed  and 
with  such  diversity  of  opinion  as  the  question.  Who 
shall  instruct  the  children  and  youth  of  the  land  in 
morality  and  the  fundamental  truths  of  life  and  purity? 
That  this  instruction  is  greatly  needed  is  acknowledged 
by  all;  but  just  how  and  by  whom  it  is  to  be  given,  is 
an  open  question. 

An  attempt  was  made  in  New  Jersey  to  introduce 
this  teaching  into  the  public  school,  but  the  order  was 
soon  repealed.  The  teaching  force  and  the  parents 
alike  were  strongly  opposed  to  it.  The  teachers  claimed 
that  they  had  had  no  special  training  for  the  teaching 
of  this  important  subject.  The  parents  contended  that 
the  average  teacher  was  not  fitted  either  by  training  or 
by  experience  to  present  this  subject  successfully;  that 


14  tBf)t  J^omt  department 

the  right  atmosphere  could  not  be  secured  in  a  class- 
room; that  to  place  it  on  the  same  basis  as  arithmetic 
or  history  would  do  more  harm  than  good;  and  that 
knowledge  alone  would  never  compel  purity.  The 
National  Educational  Association  has  gone  on  record  as 
opposed  to  placing  the  subject  in  the  curriculum  of  the 
public  school,  claiming  that  the  home  has  already 
abdicated  so  many  of  its  distinctive  functions  that  to 
remove  the  responsibility  for  the  teaching  of  morality 
and  the  truths  of  life  would  only  do  further  injury  to 
the  home. 

The  suggestion  has  been  made  repeatedly  that  the 
Sunday  school  undertake  this  important  task.  Some 
attempts  have  been  made,  but  with  little  success.  It 
has  also  been  suggested  that  the  pastors  undertake 
this  task,  but  the  average  pastor  is  a  person  of  so  many 
responsibilities  that  it  is  out  of  the  question. 

It  has  •  also  been  suggested  that  the  phj^sical  in- 
structors of  our  various  organizations  within  and  with- 
out the  Church  assume  the  responsibilit}',  but  this 
would  mean  the  reaching  of  a  comparativel}^  small 
number,  and  at  an  age  when  the  best  time  for  such 
instruction  is  already  past.  Experience  testifies  that 
discussion  of  the  subject  is  resented  when  a  certain 
age  has  been  reached. 

The  whole  matter  is  the  repetition  of  the  story  of 
two  men  who,  seeing  a  boy  in  the  water,  began  dis- 
cussing how  they  should  go  about  to  save  him.  Should 
they  throw  him  a  life  belt,  swim  out  to  him,  or  use  a 
boat?     While  they  were  discussing  ways  and  means 


^ix  (3ttat  ^imsi  of  tfje  J^ome  department        15 

the  boy  drowned.  The  Great  War  taught  us  that  some- 
thing must  be  done,  and  done  quickly,  to  awaken  the 
home  to  its  responsibihty  and  give  it  such  help  as  can 
be  put  into  practical  use  at  once.  No  greater  new  move- 
ment could  be  undertaken  by  the  American  Sunday 
school  than  a  definite  plan  for  helping  the  home  at 
once. 

The  Home  Department  has  an  open  door  into  thou- 
sands of  homes,  and  no  department  is  discharging  its 
full  responsibility  if  it  neglects  now  the  opportunity  to 
help  the  home,  so  that  the  children  and  youth  of  our 
land  shall  be  safeguarded  from  the  evils  of  the  present 
day  by  their  knowledge  and  appreciation  of  the  sacred- 
ness  of  human  life  and  the  wonder  and  beaut^^  of 
parenthood.     (See  Ch.  XII.) 

5.  To  stimulate,  awaken,  and  create  a  responsible  Christian 
parenthood  spirit. 

One  is  made  to  feel  at  times  that  the  only  thing  that  is 
now  required  of  the  home  is  to  produce  the  children, 
and  to  feed  and  clothe  them.  For  all  other  needs  some 
outside  organization  will  be  responsible.  Societies  of 
every  description  clamor  for  the  presence  of  men  and 
women  for  all  the  hours  of  the  day,  and  they  answer 
the  clamor  and  forget  the  home.  The  simple  joys  of 
the  family  meal,  where  mirth  and  good  fellowship  pre- 
vail, the  quiet  evening  at  home  with  father  and  mother, 
seem  things  of  the  past.  The  most  dangerous  change, 
however,  has  been  the  shifting  of  the  responsibility  for 
leading  the  children  to  a  definite  decision  for  Christ, 


16  Kht  J^omt  department 

from  the  shoulders  and  hearts  of  the  parents  to  outside 
persons  or  organizations. 

The  Church  of  God  is  guilty  in  this  respect  because 
it  has  continued  to  magnify  the  teacher  and  other  re- 
ligious workers  and  to  be  almost  silent  about  the  sacred 
duty  and  privilege  of  the  man  and  woman  who  brought 
into  the  world  a  living  soul,  and  from  whom  God  in  the 
final  analysis  will  surely  demand  an  account.  Many 
parents  seem  to  feel  that  when  the  child  has  been 
dressed  and  sent  to  the  Sunday  school  they  have  dis- 
charged their  full  religious  duty.  If  the  child  fails 
to  develop  a  fine  Christian  character,  the  parents 
seem  to  feel  that  the  Church  or  the  Sunday  school  is  to 
blame. 

The  very  efficiency  of  our  Church  organizations  may 
in  part  have  created  these  conditions,  yet  we  are  face 
to  face  with  a  numerical  decline  in  the  Church,  and  the 
fact  that  three  out  of  four  pupils  leave  the  Sunday 
school  without  a  definite  decision  for  Christ.  It  is 
only  too  evident  that  the  failure  of  the  Church  and 
the  Sunday  school  is  due  in  large  measure  to  the  in- 
difference and  lack  of  cooperation  in  the  home. 

The  Home  Department  enters  into  a  closer  associa- 
tion with  the  home  than  an}^  other  agenc}^  of  the 
Christian  Church,  and  has  here  a  great  opportunity 
for  service.  The  aim  of  the  Home  Department  visitor 
should  be  to  help  the  parents  to  a  realization  of  the 
privilege  and  joy  of  leading  their  own  children  to  a 
definite  decision  for  Christ,  showing  them  also  the 
remorse  and  sorrow  which  must  surely  follow  if  they 


^ix  (^rcat  ^imsf  of  tfje  l^ome  Bepartment        17 

permit  some  one  else  to  hold  this  place  in  the  life  and 
expenence  of  their  child. 

6.  To  use  this  God-given  opportunity  for  personal  work  in  the 
home. 

If  the  duty  of  the  Church  is  to  win  men  to  Christ, 
and  to  make  men  like  Christ,  what  about  the  great 
mass  of  people  who  are  never  found  where  the  gospel 
is  taught  or  preached?  Is  our  work  done  when  the 
church  bell  is  rung,  the  church  duly  advertised,  and 
the  best  that  can  be  had  provided  for  the  services, 
when  we  know  that  many,  even  within  the  sound  of 
the  bell,  cannot  or  will  not  come?  Ought  we  not  to 
feel  a  special  responsibility  for  those  without?  Should 
they  not  receive  this  blessed  invitation  even  if  it  has 
to  be  carried  to  them  in  their  homes?  Few  churches 
can  afford  to  employ  regular  parish  visitors,  and  in 
many  churches  the  pastor  is  the  only  person  engaged 
in  home  visitation.  It  is  here  that  the  Home  Depart- 
ment visitor,  trained  in  the  Home  Department  Coun- 
cil, steps  in  and  becomes  a  pastor's  assistant  ar  d  a  soul 
winner. 

The  author  has  had  the  pleasure  of  having  charge 
of  two  large  Home  Department  councils  in  which  the 
visitors  regarded  their  office  as  a  gracious  opportunity 
for  personal  work.  Many  hours  were  spent  in  prepara- 
tion for  this  work  in  the  homes.  One  visitor  brought 
four  adults  to  the  session  of  the  church  before  the 
regular  communion  service.  It  was  a  complete  sur- 
prise as  well  as  a  wonderful  inspiration.  Another 
2 


18  Wf)t  ?lome  department 

visitor  purposed  to  lead  at  least  one  to  Christ  for 
every  quarterly  communion  service.  Many  homes  can 
testify  to  the  wonderful  influence  of  this  department. 
Surely  no  Sunday  school  can  consider  itself  complete  if 
it  fails  to  make  use  of  the  evangelizing  opportunities  of 
the  Home  Department. 

Review  Questions 

1.  Name  six  objects  for  which  the  Home  Department 
stands. 

2.  Who  are  admitted  to  membership  in  the  Home 
Department? 

3.  What  is  the  first  great  need  of  the  homes  of  the 
nation? 

4.  What  is  a  second  great  need? 

5.  Why  is  cooperation  with  the  home  so  essential  to 
the  success  of  the  Sunday-school  work? 

6.  How  may  this  cooperation  be  brought  about? 

7.  Who  should  teach  the  fundamental  truths  of  life 
and  purity  to  children  and  youth? 

8.  Who  should  lead  the  child  to  a  definite  decision 
for  Christ?     ^\Tiy? 

9.  What  can  the  Church  and  the  Sunday  school  do 
to  reach  the  people  who  either  cannot  or  will  not  come 
to  them? 


II 

?|i£ftor|>  antr  (Organisation 

The  original  idea  of  the  Home  Department  was  a 
class  in  the  out-of-the-way  place,  held  in  a  kitchen, 
parlor,  porch,  barn,  or  under  a  sheltering  tree,  for 
children  and  with  a  teacher.  Dr.  W.  A.  Duncan,  of 
Syracuse,  New  York,  was  fathering  this  idea,  and  his 
plan  was  to  reach  neglected  boys  and  girls.  The  vision 
of  reaching  neglected  men  and  women  had  not  yet 
come.    Dr.  Duncan's  effort  dates  back  to  1881. 

It  is  claimed  that  Dr.  S.  W.  Dike,  of  Vermont,  first 
had  a  class  of  adults  who  studied  the  lessons  by  them- 
selves, dispensing  with  the  teacher  and  introducing  the 
visitor. 

The  Home  Department  as  we  know  it  to-day  was 
adopted  at  a  meeting  of  the  International  Sunday 
School  Executive  Committee,  at  Chautauqua,  New 
York,  in  August,  1892.  State  and  provincial  associa- 
tions have  appointed  secretaries  or  superintendents  to 
further  the  work.  County  and  district  organizations 
have  done  likewise. 

The  Home  Department  must  be  connected  with  a 
Sunday  school.  Its  members  are  members  of  the 
Sunday  school.  Its  officers  and  visitors  are  members 
of  the  official  board  with  the  same  standing  as  officers 
and  teachers  of  other  departments.     The  department 

19 


20  ^l)e  l^ome  department 

reports  to  the  Sunday  school  at  least  once  a  quarter. 
Its  members  are  always  welcome  at  the  school  sessions, 
and  are  invited  on  all  special  occasions.  In  brief,  the 
Home  Department  is  an  integral  part  of  the  Sunday 
school. 

There  are  many  ways  in  which  Home  Departments 
have  been  organized.  Some  schools  have  appointed  a 
committee  to  study  the  aims  and  methods  of  the  de- 
partment. Other  schools  have  given  some  one  person 
authority  to  select  the  workers  and  secure  some  mem- 
bers, later  organizing  these  into  a  department. 

Ordinarily  the  question  of  organization  should  be 
taken,  up  at  a  regular  meeting  of  the  Sunday  school 
officers  or  at  a  special  meeting  called  by  the  super- 
intendent for  that  purpose.  The  aims  and  work  of 
the  department  should  be  presented  in  a  forceful  man- 
ner. This  might  be  done  by  the  superintendent  or  the 
pastor.  It  will  also  be  found  helpful  to  have  para- 
graphs read  from  some  good  Home  Department  book. 
The  best  plan  is  to  have  a  successful  and  enthusiastic 
Home  Department  worker  address  the  meeting.  After 
discussion,  action  should  be  taken  authorizing  the 
organization  of  the  department.  Then  a  superintend- 
ent should  be  elected.  Much  care  should  be  taken  in 
the  selection  of  a  superintendent  as  the  success  of  the 
department  will  depend  largely  upon  the  leadership. 
The  selection  should  meet  with  the  approval  of  the 
pastor. 

Sufficient  time  should  be  given  the  newly  elected 
superintendent  for  the  careful  selection  of  the  visitors. 


J^iitoxp  anb  (l^rsani^ation  21 

The  superintendent  and  visitors  should  then  meet  for 
organization.  A  secretary  and  a  treasurer  should  be 
elected  from  their  own  number,  or,  better  still,  from 
without. 

These  officers  and  visitors  constitute  the  Home  De- 
partment Council.  The  council  should  spend  one  or 
two  afternoons  or  evenings  in  studying  the  field  and 
the  methods  of  carrying  on  the  work,  and  in  selecting 
the  printed  material  that  is  to  be  used.  The  territory 
should  be  divided  into  districts,  each  worker  given 
definite  instructions  and  a  time  set  for  the  beginning 
of  the  canvass.  A  limited  time  should  be  agreed  upon 
for  enrolling  charter  members.  (See  following  chap- 
ters.) 

On  the  Sunday  preceding  the  canvass  the  pastor 
should  be  asked  to  preach  on  ''The  Place  of  the  Bible 
in  the  Home,"  or  some  other  subject  in  connection 
with  the  Home  Department  work,  to  explain  the  plan, 
to  urge  every  member  of  the  church  not  connected 
with  the  Sunday  school  to  join  this  department,  and 
to  call  attention  to  the  literature  which  has  been  placed 
in  the  pews  or  which  will  be  handed  out  at  the  close 
of  the  service. 

At  the  Sunday-school  session  on  the  same  day  the 
superintendent  should  explain  the  Home  Department 
work  to  the  whole  school,  appeal  for  the  cooperation 
of  teachers  and  members,  and  explain  the  use  of  the 
printed  material  distributed.  The  superintendent 
should  then  call  the  officers  and  the  visitors  of  the  new 
department  to  the  platform  and  introduce  them  to 


22  ^fje  J^omt  department 

the  school,  after  which  they  are  set  apart  by  prayer  for 
the  important  task  to  which  they  are  committed. 
Such  a  plan  adds  dignity  to  the  work  and  starts  the 
department  in  a  business-like  way. 

There  are  some  schools  where  both  the  pastor  and 
the  superintendent  are  blind  to  the  opportunities  of 
the  Home  Department.  Shall  such  schools  be  without 
a  Home  Department?  There  may  be  a  man  or  a 
woman  who  has  had  a  vision  of  the  work  and  who 
would  be  willing  to  undertake  the  task.  Such  was  the 
case  of  Mrs.  Edward.  She  had  been  greatly  stirred  by 
an  address  on  Home  Department  work  at  a  state  con- 
vention. Immediately  upon  her  return  she  called  upon 
the  Sunday-school  superintendent  and  brought  the 
matter  to  his  attention.  He,  however,  claimed  that 
he  had  enough  to  do  as  it  was,  and  was  not  quite  sure 
that  he  approved  of  the  plan.  Nothing  daunted,  Mrs. 
Edward  went  to  the  pastor,  but  he  thought  that  such 
a  department  would  prove  an  excuse  for  many  to  stay 
away  from  the  school  and  so  do  more  harm  than  good. 

Mrs.  Edward  asked  that  she  be  permitted  to  do  a 
little  experimental  work.  Her  request  was  granted, 
though  she  was  told  not  to  ask  anyone  to  join  the 
Home  Department  who  could  possibly  come  to  the 
school.  With  a  friend  she  began  her  visitation.  The 
first  day  only  three  persons  were  secured,  one  of  these 
a  crippled  girl.  The  next  week  this  girl  secured  four 
other  members,  two  of  them  men  who  were  employed 
on  Sunday.  After  ten  days  Mrs.  Edward  reported  to 
the  Sunday  school  a  Home  Department  of  eleven  mem- 


li^iitQVP  anb  (i^rgani^ation  23 

bers.  At  once  the  pastor  became  interested,  especially 
because  he  had  been  trjdng  to  get  hold  of  one  of  the 
men  secured  by  the  crippled  girl. 

The  next  week  Mrs.  Edward  and  her  friend  again 
went  visiting.  At  the  first  place  where  they  called, 
the  lady  said:  ''I  am  a  member  already.  I  could  not 
refuse  my  pastor."  That  day  there  were  other  evi- 
dences of  the  pastor's  interest.  On  Sunday  he  added 
nine  names  to  their  five,  and  there  were  then  twenty- 
five  members.  That  morning  the  pastor  urged  every- 
one not  already  connected  with  the  Sunday  school  to 
join  the  Home  Department.  A  meeting  of  the  Sunday- 
school  association  was  called  for  the  following  week. 
At  this  meeting  the  department  was  formally  adopted 
and  Mrs.  Edward  was  elected  superintendent.  To-day 
that  department  is  one  of  the  best  departments  in  New 
Jersey. 

In  a  large  city  church  in  South  Jersey,  the  Sunday- 
school  superintendent  was  not  at  all  interested  in  Home 
Department  work.  The  pastor,  however,  felt  that 
there  was  a  need  for  this  work  in  his  parish.  Quietly 
he  began  to  interest  his  members  in  the  systematic 
study  of  the  Bible  through  the  Home  Department. 
Later  the  writer,  who  was  called  upon  to  address  a 
meeting  in  that  church,  found  a  department  of  one 
hundred  and  eight  members,  nearly  all  of  whom  had 
been  secured  by  the  pastor.  There  were  also  present 
nine  women  who  were  willing  to  become  visitors.  Yet 
the  state  superintendent  had  been  told  that  it  was 


24  tICfje  J^ome  Bepartment 

practically  impossible  to  organize  a  Home  Department 
there. 

Review  Questions 

1.  What  was  the  original  idea  of  the  Home  Class 
Movement? 

2.  What  are  the  mistakes  that  usually  lead  to  failure 
and  when  are  they  made? 

3.  Name  three   elements  essential  to  a  successful 
department. 

4.  How  should  the  visitors  be  appointed? 

5.  Should   these   workers   organize?     Why?     How? 
What  should  be  the  name  of  their  organization? 

6.  What  can  the  Sunday-school  superintendent  do 
to  start  the  department  properly? 

7.  How  can  the  pastor  help? 

8.  Should  the  workers  be  installed?    Why?    How? 

9.  What  is  the  relation  of  this  department  to  the 
Sunday  school? 


Ill 

In  1912  the  Home  Department  adopted  two  grades 
of  membership:  Grade  A  embraces  those  who  study 
the  Sunday-school  lesson  at  least  a  half  hour  each  week, 
and,  so  far  as  practicable,  have  daily  worship  with  the 
reading  of  the  Bible  and  prayer  with  the  members  of 
their  families,  and  those  without  family  ties,  who  have 
daily  devotions.     (See  Ch.  II.) 

Grade  B  embraces  those  who  study  the  Sunday- 
school  lesson  at  least  a  half  hour  each  week. 

Duties  of  Members 

1.  To  study  the  lesson  at  least  a  half  hour  each  week. 
If  prevented  at  any  time,  to  try  to  make  up  the  lessons 
before  the  end  of  the  quarter. 

2.  To  have  the  report  envelope  marked  and  ready 
for  the  visitor  at  the  end  of  each  quarter.  This  is 
very  important  and  will  enable  the  visitor  to  make  a 
complete  report  promptly. 

3.  To  make  a  weekly  contribution,  if  so  inclined, 
and  place  the  same  in  the  report  envelope.  This  is 
not  required,  and  a  member  is  in  good  standing  with- 
out making  contributions,  if  the  lessons  have  been 
studied;    but  each  member  of  the  Home  Department 

25 


26  tlDfje  i^ome  Bepartment 


is  invited  to  share  in  the  whole  work  of  the  school, 
spiritual,  social,  and  financial. 

4.  To  take  a  general  interest  in  the  work  of  the 
department,  invite  others  to  join  as  opportunities  may 
offer,  attend,  if  possible,  all  special  occasions  arranged 
in  the  interest  of  the  work,  and  at  all  times  and  in  all 
places  speak  a  good  word  for  the  Home  Department. 

5.  To  notify  the  visitor  of  any  special  need  in  the 
member's  own  home  or  in  the  community,  where  the 
department,  the  Sunday  school,  or  the  pastor  may  be 
of  service. 

6.  To  pray  daily  for  the  members  of  the  department, 
and  for  the  spreading  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Word  of 

God. 

Privileges  of  Members 

1.  To  become  a  member  of  the  Sunday  school. 

2.  To  be  assigned  to  a  group  or  district  with  a  visitor 
in  charge,  and,  together  with  other  members,  form  a 
section  of  the  Home  Department,  just  as  the  class  is 
a  section  of  the  Sunday  school. 

3.  To  be  provided  with  a  helpful  plan  for  the  regular 
systematic  study  of  God's  Word. 

4.  To  be  provided  with  helps  for  family  worship 
and  daily  devotional  Bible-reading. 

5.  To  receive  at  least  four  calls  from  the  visitor 
during  the  year. 

6.  To  be  invited  to  all  special  functions  of  the  Sun- 
day school  and  church. 

7.  To  have  a  share  in  the  missionary  and  benevolent 
work  of  the  Sunday  school. 


8.  To  receive  the  ministration  of  the  pastor  as  a 
member  of  the  parish. 

9.  To  have  the  use  of  the  Sunday-school  Ubrary. 

Review  Questions 

1.  What  are  the  two  grades  of  membership  in  the 
Home  Department?    State  requirement  in  each  grade. 

2.  Should  a  membership  card  be  used? 

3.  Should  the  members  be  asked  to  contribute? 

4.  How  may  the  visitor  secure  the  marking  of  the 
envelope? 

5.  How  may  the  members  help  further  the  work  of 
the  department? 

6.  What  are  some  of  the  privileges  enjoyed  by  the 
members? 


IV 

©fficets?,  Wt^tiv  ©ualiticationsf  anb  ©utiesf 

The  Superintendent 

A  superintendent  of  a  city  school  was  asked  if  it 
would  not  be  possible  to  organize  a  Home  Department 
in  his  school.  ''Yes,  I  think  so,"  he  replied.  ''It  is 
the  only  point  we  need  to  make  us  a  ten-point  school. 
There  is  Mrs.  Blank;  she  is  not  of  much  account  as  a 
worker,  but  she  is  a  prominent  Church  member,  and  I 
think  she  would  feel  honored  if  she  were  asked  to  act 
as  superintendent."  Mrs.  Blank  was  asked.  The 
Home  Department  was  promptly  started — and  just  as 
promptly  failed. 

So  much  depends  on  finding  the  right  person,  and 
so  much  harm  may  result  from  placing  in  charge  a 
person  unfitted  for  the  work,  that  great  care  should  be 
exercised  in  the  selection  of  a  superintendent. 

His  Qualifications 

The  superintendent  should  be  (1)  a  man  or  a  woman 
of  sterling  Christian  character,  with  a  firm  belief  in  the 
power  of  the  Word  of  God;  (2)  a  firm  believer  in  the 
Home  Department  as  an  agency  for  spreading  the 
knowledge  of  God's  Word;  (3)  the  possessor  of  execu- 
tive ability — the  power  to  plan  and  the  ability  to  carry 
the  plan  into  execution,  to  see  clearly  the  way  and  to 
lead  his  coworkers  with  him,  to  know  the  work  as  a 

28 


0fiittt^,  ^fjeir  (©ualificationg  anb  Butiesi       29 

whole  and  to  be  able  to  impart  that  knowledge  to 
others,  and,  in  case  of  failure,  to  rise  again  with  better 
prepared  plans,  and  lessons  learned,  more  determined 
to  try  and  to  succeed;  (4)  one  who  can  see  possibilities 
in  every  home,  and  who  will  not  fear  indifference  or 
opposition;  (5)  one  who  has  diplomacy  or  tact;  (6) 
one  who  is  able  to  impart  his  own  enthusiasm  to  others. 

His  Duties 

1.  To  know  his  work:  to  know  the  aims  of  the  de- 
partment; the  best  methods  adapted  to  the  local  needs; 
the  printed  material  furnished  by  his  own  denomina- 
tion, and  all  such  other  material  as  may  be  of  special 
help  in  his  field. 

2.  To  know  his  field:  the  religious  conditions;  the 
living  conditions;  the  best  way  of  dividing  his  field; 
how  to  instruct  the  visitor  with  regard  to  each  district. 

3.  To  choose  the  visitors  after  consulting  with  the 
pastor  and  the  Sunday-school  superintendent. 

4.  To  know  each  visitor  personally  and  supervise 
the  work  of  all. 

5.  To  plan  the  work  for  each  quarter,  present  the 
plans  at  the  council  meetings,  and  see  that  these  are 
carried  into  effect. 

6.  To  do  occasional  visiting  (if  it  is  not  possible  to 
care  for  a  regular  district),  so  as  to  keep  in  touch  with 
the  experiences  and  difficulties  of  visitors. 

7.  To  give  the  pastor  a  summary  of  the  quarter's 
work,  and  to  keep  him  informed  weekly  or  monthly 
of  homes  which  need  his  special  attention. 


30  Wi)t  l^ome  department 

8.  To  plan  for  the  social  occasions  and  see  that  the 
members  are  invited  to  all  special  functions  of  the 
church  and  school,  and  to  make  use  of  every  oppor- 
tunity for  promoting  a  close  fellowship  between  the 
department  and  the  school. 

9.  To  give  quarterly  statistical  reports  before  the 
Sunday-school  session,  with  such  incidents  as  will  bring 
the  work  definitely  before  the  school. 

10.  To  see  that  the  department  works  in  cooperation 
with  the  other  departments  of  the  school  in  securing 
members  for  the  various  departments  as  opportunity 
may  offer  in  the  visitation  of  the  homes. 

Review  Questions 

1.  Name  some  of  the  qualifications  of  a  successful 
superintendent. 

2.  What  is  meant  by  executive  ability?  What  is 
diplomacy? 

3.  What  is  the  first  duty  of  the  superintendent? 

4.  Who  should  be  consulted  in  choosing  the  visitors? 

5.  Should  the  superintendent  be  a  visitor? 

6.  How  often  should  a  summary  of  the  work  be 
given  to  the  pastor? 

7.  What  should  be  included  in  the  quarterly  state- 
ment presented  to  the  Sunday  school? 

The  Secretary  and  the  Treasurer 

A  secretary  can  do  much  to  make  the  work  run 
smoothly,  to  keep  the  department  before  the  church 
and  the  school,  and  to  arouse  and  maintain  interest. 

The  secretary  should  not  be  a  visitor. 


0Uktt^,  JB\)tiv  €^na\iiitat\oni  anb  ButiesJ       31 


Duties  of  the  Secretary 

1.  To  keep  a  perfect,  up-to-date  record  of  the  mem- 
bership, both  alphabetically  and  by  districts. 

2.  To  keep  a  complete  record  of  all  transactions  at 
all  council  meetings. 

3.  To  order  the  supplies.  If  material  in  more  than 
one  language  is  needed,  to  see  that  the  right  kind  is 
ordered.  If  the  material  is  ordered  by  the  Sunday 
school,  to  see  that  it  is  received  on  time. 

4.  To  prepare  the  quarterlies  for  the  visitors,  to- 
gether with  report  blanks  and  envelopes  and  such 
special  material  as  is  to  be  placed  in  the  homes. 

5.  To  keep  a  perfect  record  of  the  work  of  each 
visitor,  and  to  prepare  the  report  for  the  quarterly 
council  meeting. 

6.  To  prepare  a  quarterly  report  to  be  given  by  the 
superintendent  at  the  Sunday-school  session. 

7.  To  fill  out  the  county  and  state  statistical  reports 
and  see  that  they  are  returned  on  time. 

8.  To  send  out  such  notices  and  invitations  as  the 
council  may  decide,  to  write  notes  of  sympathy  and 
other  communications. 

9.  To  keep  the  Home  Department  Roll  in  the  Sun- 
day school  corrected  and  up-to-date. 

10.  To  prepare  items  of  interest  for  the  church  bul- 
letin or  monthly  paper,  and  to  see  that  the  Sunday- 
school  superintendent  and  the  pastor  advertise  the 
department  in  every  possible  way  by  desk  and  pulpit 
notices. 


32  ^fte  l^omt  department 

Duties  of  the  Treasurer 

1.  To  keep  a  perfect  record  of  all  funds  received 
from  envelope  contributions,  collections,  or  personal 
gifts. 

2.  To  dispense  the  funds  as  the  council  shall  direct 
and  in  accordance  with  the  regulations  of  the  school. 

3.  To  present  a  financial  statement  at  every  quarterly 
council  meeting. 

4.  To  prepare  an  annual  financial  report. 

The  Home  Department  must  conduct  its  finances  in 
accordance  with  the  decisions  of  the  school.  Yet  there 
are  some  things  essential  for  the  success  of  the  work. 

1.  The  Home  Department  treasurer  is  a  necessar}^ 
official,  whether  the  department  buys  its  own  supplies, 
pays  its  own  bills,  and  decides  on  its  own  benevolent 
and  missionary  contributions,  or  whether  the  Sunday 
school  pays  the  bills  and  distributes  the  surplus. 

2.  No  visitor  should  be  permitted  to  turn  the  con- 
tributions from  the  individual  district  or  group  over 
to  the  Sunday-school  treasurer.  This  money  must  be 
turned  over  to  the  Home  Department  treasurer. 

3.  Where  the  department  conducts  its  own  finances, 
the  money  should  be  banked  in  the  name  of  the  depart- 
ment, and  all  bills  paid  by  check. 

4.  A  financial  statement,  showing  just  how  the 
money  has  been  expended,  should  be  issued  yearly, 
and  a  copy  sent  to  each  member  of  the  department. 

The  Home  Department  is  the  least  expensive  depart- 
ment in  the  Sunday  school  to  operate  and  has  usually 


C^ffkerg,  ^fjeir  (©ualificationg  anb  Butie£f       33 

the  largest  surplus.  Nearly  all  of  its  work  is  done  out- 
side the  school  session.  Many  large  departments  have 
monthly  business  meetings,  and  all  standard  depart- 
ments have  quarterly  council  meetings.  Many  of  the 
needs  of  the  department  are  known  to  the  visitor  only, 
and  there  is  a  general  feeling  that  many  of  these  needs 
may  be  more  promptly  met  if  the  department  conducts 
its  own  finances.  Many  of  the  largest  and  most  suc- 
cessful departments  now  take  entire  charge  of  all  their 
work,  including  finances,  with  the  full  consent  of  their 
Sunday  school. 

Review  Questions 

1.  What  can  the  secretary  do  to  further  the  interets 
of  the  department? 

2.  State  the  duties  of  the  secretary. 

3.  Should  the  secretar}^  be  a  visitor?     WTiy? 

4.  What  is  the  Home  Department  Roll?  Where  and 
how  is  it  kept? 

5.  What  material  must  the  secretary  have  ready  for 
the  visitor  before  the  close  of  the  quarter? 

6.  Why  is  the  Home  Department  treasurer  a  neces- 
sary official? 

7.  What  should  be  the  deciding  factor  in  the  matter 
of  finance? 

8.  To  whom  does  the  visitor  give  the  contributions 
from  her  district? 

9.  How  often  should  the  members  receive  a  state- 
ment of  the  distribution  of  the  funds  of  the  depart- 
ment? 


®!)e  art  of  Visitation 

Great  care  should  be  taken  in  the  selection  of  the 
visitor.  The  qualifications  of  the  visitor  should  be 
much  the  same  as  those  of  the  superintendent.  While 
there  are  successful  men  visitors,  it  is  generally  con- 
ceded that  women  are  better  adapted  for  this  work. 
As  a  rule  they  have  more  time  at  their  command,  can 
visit  the  homes  under  many  circumstances  when  it 
would  be  out  of  the  question  to  send  a  man,  can  meet 
many  needs  of  the  home  and  be  a  confidential  friend  to 
the  family.  Mature  men  or  women  should  be  chosen. 
Very  young  people  do  not  make  good  visitors;  their 
lack  of  experience  makes  it  impossible  for  them  to 
understand  the  problems  and  share  in  the  trials  and 
difficulties  of  the  home.  In  the  work  among  firemen, 
street-car  men,  railroad  men,  policemen,  in  life-saving 
stations,  homes  for  men,  men's  hospital  wards,  and 
similar  places,  the  visitor  should  be  a  man. 

Duties  of  Visitors 

1.  To  attend  the  quarterly  council  meeting. 

2.  To  accept  every  member  of  the  homes  committed 
to  their  care  as  a  definite  responsibility. 

34 


tlTfje  ^rt  of  "^igitation  35 

3.  To  secure  a  report  from  every  member,  once 
every  quarter,  even  if  it  requires  more  than  one  visit. 

4.  To  make  a  complete  written  report  at  each  quar- 
terly council  meeting. 

5.  To  visit  every  new  family  in  their  districts  and 
report  to  the  superintendent  as  soon  as  possible. 

6.  To  see  that  in  case  of  illness  members  are  remem- 
bered with  flowers  or  delicacies,  and  in  case  of  death, 
with  such  floral  tributes  as  the  department  may  provide. 

7.  To  be  especially  interested  in  the  members  of 
their  districts  at  the  social  functions  or  special  occa- 
sions and  to  see  that  they  are  made  to  feel  at  home 
and  introduced  to  the  other  members  of  the  depart- 
ment. 

8.  To  report  promptly  any  cases  of  illness  or  any 
special  need  in  their  districts  or  anything  that  may  be 
of  help  to  the  pastor  in  his  work  in  the  parish. 

9.  To  send  birthday  cards  to  the  members  and  to 
see  that  the  shut-ins  are  especially  cared  for. 

10.  To  give  special  attention  to  members  in  all  cases 
of  illness,  whether  in  the  home  or  in  the  hospital.  In 
cases  of  quarantine,  to  write  bright,  cheery,  sympathetic 
notes,  and  to  get  other  visitors  to  do  the  same. 

A  Message  to  Visitors 

1.  Pray  before  you  leave  your  home  on  your  day  of 
visitation,  and  again  before  entering  each  home. 

2.  Dress  as  you  would  for  a  church  service  or  a  social 
call  anywhere.  Many  visitors  lose  influence  by  being 
careless  in  this  respect. 


36  ^ije  ^omt  department 

3.  Try  to  place  yourself  in  the  position  of  the  one 
whom  you  are  visiting. 

4.  Always  remember  that  you  are  a  representative 
of  the  Church  and  an  ambassador  for  God. 

5.  Do  not  patronize  the  poor  or  cringe  before  the 
rich;  if  you  do,  the  poor  will  hate  you  and  the  rich 
will  despise  you. 

6.  Be  friendly  and  natural.  Be  sympathetic  and 
interested  in  the  things  which  concern  each  home. 

7.  Be  always  on  the  lookout  for  new  members,  and 
for  opportunities  for  service  to  all. 

8.  Be  strictly  confidential  with  all  your  members. 

9.  Be  always  prepared  with  extra  report  envelopes 
in  case  any  of  your  members  should  have  mislaid  theirs. 

10.  Always  have  plenty  of  membership  cards  with 
you,  so  that  should  you  find  neighbors,  friends,  or  rela- 
tives visiting  in  the  homes  of  your  members,  you  may 
be  ready  to  take  advantage  of  the  opportunity.  Have 
also  Cradle  Roll  cards  and  invitation  cards  to  other 
departments  of  the  Sunday  school  and  church  with  you 
at  all  times. 

11.  Take  an  interest  in  the  things  in  which  your 
members  are  interested,  be  it  a  new  baby,  a  dress,  a 
plant,  books,  music,  a  garden,  the  children  away  from 
home,  farming,  or  chickens,  and  try  to  remember  the 
interests  of  each  member  from  time  to  time. 

12.  Go  over  the  quarter's  lessons  before  you  make 
your  call,  that  you  may  have  them  fresh  in  mind,  but 
do  not  unduly  press  your  knowledge  on  your  members. 

13.  Read  books  on  the  subject  of  self-knowledge  and 


^fje  ^rt  of  ^ijiitation  37 


the  fundamental  truths  of  Hfe,  so  as  to  be  able  to  meet 
these  subjects  helpfull}'-  in  your  conversation. 

14.  In  the  homes  where  there  are  children  who  belong 
to  the  Sunday  school,  give  such  information  as  will  make 
the  home  interested  in  the  work  of  the  whole  school. 

15.  Have  confidence  in  yourself  and  in  the  work 
which  you  are  doing. 

16.  Be  always  on  the  lookout  to  speak  a  good  word 
for  Jesus  Christ.  It  may  be  that  you  are  the  one  to 
win  that  home  for  him.    Don't  miss  your  chance! 

Some  Don'ts 

1.  Don't  leave  your  supplies  with  the  maid  or  hang- 
ing from  the  door  knob.  Make  the  extra  call  if  neces- 
sary.    It  pays. 

2.  Don't  go  to  the  home  with  the  attitude,  ''I  have 
come  to  do  you  good";  you  would  resent  that  yourself. 

3.  Don't  inflict  your  cares  and  troubles  on  your 
members. 

4.  Don  t  speak  disparagingly  of  any  church  or  church 
official. 

5.  Don't  be  led  into  religious  controversy.  If  an 
invalid  or  any  of  your  members  should  ask  your  opinion, 
be  ready  to  give  it  in  a  kindly  Christian  spirit,  but 
don't  marshal  your  arguments  in  battle  array. 

6.  Don't  be  inquisitive.  Be  interested  in  the  family 
and  show  your  interest  at  all  times. 

7.  Don't  stay  too  long. 

8.  Don't  talk  too  much.  Shut-ins  enjoy  the  oppor- 
tunity of  telling  of  the  things  which  interest  them. 


38  tlTije  l^omt  department 

9.  Don't  forget  that  all  your  work  and  visits  in  the 
home  should  have  one  object,  that  of  winning  the  home 
for  Christ. 

10.  Don't  miss  your  opportunity  of  helping  the  home 
in  the  observance  of  family  worship. 

11.  Don't  think  you  cannot  be  a  successful  visitor. 
While  natural  gifts  and  adaptability  are  of  great  value, 
if  you  will  apply  yourself  to  the  rules  here  laid  down 
and  study  your  field  and  human  nature,  you  will  fit 
yourself  to  be  a  successful  visitor  and  make  visitation 
a  delight  to  yourself  as  well  as  a  blessing  to  others. 

Review  Questions 

1.  Give  some  reasons  why  there  are  more  women 
visitors  than  men  visitors. 

2.  Name  some  places  where  men  are  better  fitted  for 
the  work. 

3.  What  is  the  first  duty  of  a  visitor? 

4.  Name  nine  other  important  duties. 

5.  How  can  the  visitor  help  the  other  departments 
in  her  visitation? 

6.  Name  some  of  the  important  things  in  the  art  of 
visitation. 

7.  What  should  be  your  point  of  contact  with  the 
home? 

8.  How  may  you  interest  the  home  in  the  work  of 
the  school? 

9.  What  is  the  chief  object  of  all  your  work? 

10.  Mention  some  of  the  important  don'ts  for  Home 
Department  visitors. 

1 1 .  How  may  you  become  a  successful  visitor  in  the 
face  of  obstacles? 


VI 

Wbt  ©uarterlp  Council  iHeeting 

The  quarterly  meeting  of  the  Home  Department 
Council  should  be  the  special  care  of  the  superintend- 
ent. Some  departments  hold  it  before  the  close  of  the 
quarter  Ijut  the  second  week  after  the  close  of  the 
quarter  has  proved  the  most  satisfactory  time  for  this 
meeting.  The  visitors  are  then  returning  from  their 
touch  with  the  homes;  the  problems  are  fresh  in  their 
minds;  new  suggestions  have  come  to  them  from  their 
experiences;  and  where  especially  successful  work  has 
been  done,  they  are  eager  to  tell  of  it.  It  is  also  the 
best  time  to  plan  for  the  new  quarter's  work.  When 
the  meeting  is  held  at  this  time,  it  will  be  necessary 
for  the  secretary  to  have  the  material  ready  for  the 
visitors,  and  the  superintendent  may  call  them  together 
for  a  few  moments  at  the  close  of  a  week-day  or  Sun- 
day service  to  give  any  special  instruction  before  they 
go  out. 

The  meeting  should  be  made  so  interesting  that  no 
visitor  would  willingly  be  absent  from  it.  A  visitor 
should  be  appointed  at  the  previous  meeting  to  con- 
duct the  devotions.  Occasionally  this  period  should  be 
in  charge  of  the  pastor,  the  Sunday-school  superintend- 
ent, or  the  Home  Department  superintendent.  After 
the  usual  business,  such  as  the  reading  of  the  minutes, 

39 


40  Cije  l^ome  department 

report  of  treasurer,  and  reports  of  special  committees, 
the  program  should  include  a  survey  of  the  quarter's 
work,  presentations  of  new  plans  for  the  coming  quarter, 
and  a  special  subject  for  discussion. 

The  visitors'  written  reports  should  form  the  basis 
for  the  survey.  All  visitors  should  be  given  a  chance 
to  read  their  own  reports,  to  call  attention  to  special 
problems  in  their  districts,  or  to  make  mention  of  any 
encouraging  features.  If  a  visitor  is  unable  to  attend, 
a  written  report  should  be  sent  to  the  superintendent 
in  time  for  this  meeting.  After  the  reports  are  given, 
the  spiritual  needs  of  the  homes  should  be  presented 
and  prayers  offered  for  special  cases.  New  plans  for 
the  quarter's  work  should  then  be  considered,  arrange- 
ments made  for  special  occasions,  and  the  necessary 
committees  appointed.  The  special  topic  for  the  day 
should  then  be  considered.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  have  a 
subject  assigned  at  least  one  month  before  the  meeting, 
and  to  assist  the  visitor  with  material  for  discussion. 
This  should  be  the  visitors'  training  school. 

Some  of  the  following  subjects  should  prove  helpful: 
''The  Art  of  Visitation,"  ''Personal  Work  in  the 
Home,"  "Family  Worship,"  "How  the  Department 
Can  Assist  the  Church  During  an  Evangelistic  Cam- 
paign," "How  to  Assist  the  Sunday  School  Before 
Decision  Day,"  "How  to  Secure  New  Members," 
"How  to  Present  the  Work  of  the  School  to  the 
Home,"  "How  to  Present  the  Subject  of  Self -Knowl- 
edge," "How  to  Provide  a  Loan  Library  on  the  Prin- 
ciples of  Truth  and  Morality,"  "How  to  Conduct  a 


t!rt)e  (©uarterlp  Council  jHeeting  41 

Home  Department  Prayer  Meeting,"  ''How  to  Con- 
duct a  Mothers'  Meeting,"  ''How  to  Win  an  Entrance 
into  the  Home,"  "How  to  Get  Members  to  Mark 
Their  Reports." 

At  this  meeting  visitors  should  study  together  the 
changing  conditions  of  the  parish.  New  phases  of  the 
work  shoukl  be  presented,  various  experiences  may  be 
exchanged,  and  the  diplomacy  and  tact  necessary  in 
difficult  cases  may  be  discussed. 

This  meeting  should  be  of  special  interest  to  the 
pastor.  He  should  bring  to  this  council  any  special 
plan  in  which  the  department  can  cooperate,  such  as 
an  evangelistic  campaign,  interest  in  the  prayer  meet- 
ing, assistance  in  securing  the  attendance  of  parents 
at  the  church  services.  He  should  also  tell  the  coun- 
cil of  homes  where  the  visitor  may  be  of  special 
service. 

The  closing  moments  of  the  meeting  should  be  spent 
in  social  intercourse.  The  serving  of  light  refreshments 
will  add  much  to  a  delightful  fellowship. 

Review  Questions 

1.  When  should  the  quarterly  council  meeting  be 
held? 

2.  Who  has  charge  of  the  plans  for  this  meeting? 

3.  What  should  be  the  nature  of  the  meeting  and 
the  order  of  business? 

4.  Who  should  usually  have  charge  of  the  devotions? 
Why? 

5.  In  what  form  should  the  visitors'  reports  be  pre- 
sented?    Why? 


42  tKfje  ?^ome  department 

6.  How  should  the  spiritual  needs  of  the  homes  be 
met? 

7.  Name  some  topics  for  special  discussion. 

8.  How    may   the    pastor    and    the    Sunday-school 
superintendent  show  their  interest  in  this  meeting? 

9.  How  should  the  meeting  close? 


VII 

Wt^t  J^ome  department  Canbas^s? 

The  object  of  the  Home  Department  canvass  should 
be: 

1.  To  gam  a  helpful  knowledge  of  the  whole  parish. 

2.  To  learn  who  may  be  secured  for  Church  member- 
ship. 

3.  To  secure  members  for  church  organizations. 

4.  To  discover  talent  available  for  the  church  and 
school. 

5.  To  secure  members  for  the  various  departments 
of  the  Sunday  school. 

6.  To  discover  members  for  the  Home  Department. 
The  canvassers  should  spend  at  least   one  or  two 

afternoons  or  evenings  in  preparation  for  the  work. 
They  should  study  the  field  as  a  whole;  the  district 
to  which  each  worker  is  assigned;  the  material  they 
are  to  carry  with  them;  and  the  manner  of  approach- 
ing the  home.  They  should  have  before  them  a  list  of 
the  church  members  who  are  not  in  the  school,  the 
names  of  the  parents  of  all  children  in  all  departments 
of  the  Sunday  school  who  are  not  already  connected 
with  the  school,  also  the  names  of  the  members  of  all 
church  organizations  who  are  not  members  of  the 
school.  But  the  canvass  should  not  be  confined  to 
these  names.  In  these  days  of  frequent  religious  cen- 
suses, there  is  no  objection  to  visiting   every  home, 

43 


44  ^1)t  l^ome  department 

Protestant,  Catholic,  Jew,  or  nonchurch,  whether  in 
country  community,  suburban  town,  or  city  parish. 

A  special  service  should  be  arranged  for  the  Sunday 
preceding  the  canvass.  The  pastor  should  be  asked  to 
preach  on  some  subject  in  connection  with  the  work 
of  the  department,  to  urge  all  members  of  the  church 
who  are  not  already  in  the  Sunday  school  to  join  this 
department,  and  also  to  request  them  to  speak  to  their 
friends  and  their  neighbors  about  the  canvass.  The 
pastor  can  give  further  assistance  by  speaking  of  the 
canvass  in  his  own  visitation  and  by  distributing  the 
invitation  leaflets  in  the  homes.  On  the  same  day  a 
service  of  consecration  should  be  held  in  the  Sunday 
school  when  the  visitors  should  be  installed  and  set 
apart  by  prayer.     (See  Ch.  II.) 

Where  the  canvass  is  conducted  for  the  first  time,  it 
is  better  for  two  visitors  to  go  together.  Where  the 
canvass  has  become  an  established  annual  affair,  one 
visitor  may  go  alone  so  that  the  field  may  be  covered 
in  less  time. 

A  card  should  be  used  in  gathering  information. 
This  should  contain  a  space  for  name,  address,  Church 
affiliation,  number  of  adults,  number  of  children,  name 
and  address  of  the  visitor  making  the  call  and  giving 
the  information.  Special  remarks  should  be  made  on 
the  back  of  the  card. 

Words  to  the  Canvasser 

Never  ask  in  any  home  if  the  members  are  Christians, 
or  if  thpy  read  the  Bible.    No  one  likes  to  be  classed  as 


^fje  ^omt  department  Canbagg  45 


a  ''heathen"  in  a  Christian  land.    If  you  create  antag- 
onism you  will  get  no  farther  than  the  door.    Frankly 
state  the  object  of  your  call,  that  you  are  helping  to 
make  a  religious  canvass  of  your  community,  and  ask 
what  church  the  family  attends.     If  they  are  Church 
members,  and  the  children  are  attending  some  Sun- 
day school,  your  work  there  is  done.     If  such  is  not 
the  case,  fill  in  the  information  asked  on  your  card  and 
then  invite  all  the  members  of  the  family  to  the  serv- 
ices of  the  church  and  school.     Where  you  find  that 
persons  cannot  or  will  not  attend  the  sessions  of  the 
Sunday  school,  you  have  an  open  field  for  the  Home 
Department.     Be  prepared  to  make  full  use  of  your 
opportunity.    Tell  them  that  their  inability  to  attend 
class  sessions  need  not  keep  them  from  the  Sunday  school. 
Many  will  be  glad  to  join  the  school  in  this  simple, 
helpful  way;    but  where  there  is  hesitation  or  objec- 
tion, be  ready  to  meet  it  so  far  as  you  are  able.    Explain 
how  the  members  become  part  of  the  world-wide  Home 
Department  family;  tell  of  the  visitor's  interest  in  her 
members;  the  helpfulness  of  systematic  Bible  study;  and 
the  blessing  that  it  will  be  to  the  children  of  the  home. 
Never  allow  a  person  to  answer  ''No"  immediately. 
Leave  the  quarterly  and  such  other  material  as  you 
have  brought  and  promise  to  call  again.    Do  not  over- 
look the  invalids  or  shut-ins.     Make  special  effort  to 
secure  their  membership.    Where  there  are  children  or 
young  people  who  for  any  reason  cannot  attend  the 
Sunday  school,  enlist  them  also  and  promise  to  secure 
the  right  material  for  them. 


46  ^Ije  l^ome  department 

Where  the  canvass  is  conducted  for  the  first  time,  a 
month  should  be  held  open  for  charter  members  and  a 
report  made  each  Sunday  in  the  Sunday  school.  This 
will  stimulate  the  interest  of  the  school.  One  depart- 
ment in  New  Jersey  made  700  calls  in  one  month.  The 
effort  added  28  members  to  adult  classes,  seven  to 
other  departments,  eleven  babies  to  the  Cradle  Roll, 
and  93  members  to  the  Home  Department.  It  also 
discovered  three  young  men  who  formed  the  beginning 
of  a  Sunday-school  orchestra. 

Such  a  canvass  should  be  made  annually. 

Review  Questions 

1.  What  are  the  objects  for  which  the  canvass  is 
conducted? 

2.  How  should  the  workers  prepare  for  it,  and  what 
material  is  needed? 

3.  Should  one  or  two  visitors  make  the  calls? 

4.  W^hat  should  be  your  method  of  approach  to  the 
home? 

5.  How  can  you  overcome  objections? 

6.  Should  a  definite  refusal  be  accepted?    Why? 

7.  How  long  should  the  canvass  continue? 

8.  How  frequently  should  the  results  be  reported  in 
the  Sunday  school? 

9.  What  members  in  the  home  should  especially  be 
sought  out? 

10.  What  special  service  should  be  held  before  under- 
taking the  canvass? 

11.  How  should  the  visitors  be  sent  forth? 

12.  How  frequently  should  a  canvass  be  made? 


VIII 

^tanbing  Committees;  anb  SCfjeir  Mork 

A  well  organized  department  should  have  four  stand- 
ing committees.  Special  committees  should  be  ap- 
pointed as  occasion  requires  and  discharged  when  their 
tasks  are  accomplished.  The  standing  committees 
should  be  appointed  at  the  annual  meeting  and  should 
serve  for  one  year.  The  standing  committees  should 
be:  Membership,  Social,  Flower,  and  Welfare. 

Membership  Committee 

It  should  be  the  duty  of  this  committee  to  work 
with  the  visitors  and  be  constantly  on  the  lookout  for 
new  members.  Where  the  department  has  adopted 
the  rule  of  visiting  every  new  family  in  the  parish 
within  ten  days  after  its  arrival,  it  should  be  the  duty 
of  the  Membership  Committee  to  see  that  the  visitor 
makes  the  call.  If  it  is  impossible  for  the  visitor  to 
do  so,  a  member  of  this  committee  should  make  the 
call.  The  names  of  new  members  should  be  presented 
by  this  committee  at  the  council  meeting.  The  com- 
mittee should  also  go  over  the  membership  roll  each 
quarter,  seeking  out  such  members  as  might  be  able 
to  attend  the  Sunday-school  session  and  encouraging 
them  to  do  so. 

All  resignations  should  be  handed  to  this  committee, 

47 


48  Wi)t  J^omt  department 

which  should  investigate  each  case  and  see  if  it  is  not 
possible  to  retain  the  member.  .Sometimes  misunder- 
standings and  difficulties  arise  which  this  committee 
may  help  to  clear  away.  No  resignation  should  be 
accepted  by  the  council  unless  reconmiended  by  the 
Membership  Committee. 

Social  Committee 

This  committee  should  have  charge  of  the  social 
part  of  each  monthly  or  quarterly  council  meeting 
and  all  special  occasions  where  such  services  are  needed. 

Flower  Committee 

This  committee  is  very  important  to  the  success  of 
the  department,  and  a  stated  amount  of  money  should 
be  appropriated  for  each  quarter's  work.  Flowers  and 
delicacies  should  be  provided  for  the  members  at  the 
discretion  of  the  committee.  Hospital  cases  should  be 
its  special  charge.  In  a  case  of  quarantine,  the  com- 
mittee should  plan  to  have  brief  notes  of  comfort  and 
sympathy  sent  twice  a  week  or,  better  still,  every  other 
day,  arranging  for  the  members  of  the  council  to  take 
turns,  and,  where  the  quarantine  is  of  long  duration, 
calling  upon  the  members  of  the  department  to  par- 
ticipate. 

One  Home  Department,  for  instance,  helped  a  widow 
over  ten  hard  weeks  when  her  children  were  ill  with 
scarlet  fever.  The  first  week  the  department  sent 
flowers  and  the  visitor  wrote  her  a  note  of  sympathy. 
The  second  week  the  department  sent  fruit.    The  com- 


^tanbing  Committees^  anb  ^\)tix  Movh,         49 

mittee  then  arranged  with  the  members  of  the  council 
to  send  a  cheery  friendly  letter  three  times  each  week. 
Each  member  was  given  a  specific  date  and  the  super- 
intendent promised  to  write  a  special  note  each  week. 

Another  Home  Department  constantly  remembered 
a  member  who  was  forced  to  spend  several  months  in 
a  hospital.  Toward  the  close  of  her  staj^  in  the  hos- 
pital, the  Home  Department  superintendent  was  per- 
mitted to  see  her.  The  head  nurse  met  the  superintend- 
ent at  the  door  and  asked,  ''Would  you  mind  telling  me 
who  Mrs.  Deal  is?"  ''Why,"  answered  the  superin- 
tendent, "she  is  a  member  of  our  church."  "Oh,  I 
don't  mean  that,"  replied  the  nurse;  "I  would  like  to 
know  what  makes  her  so  prominent  or  why  she  receives 
so  much  attention.  Practically  all  the  patients  in  this 
ward  are  members  of  some  church,  but  they  are  receiv- 
ing little  or  no  attention,  while  Mrs.  Deal  has  had 
post  cards,  letters,  fruit,  delicacies,  flowers,  telephone 
calls,  and  visits.  Throughout  her  stay  of  nearly  three 
months,  it  seems  as  though  she  has  been  remembered 
every  day.  The  other  patients  have  been  watching  her 
with  interest."  The  superintendent  then  explained 
that  Mrs.  Deal  was  a  member  of  the  Home  Depart- 
ment and  that  the  plan  was  to  make  all  members  feel 
that  they  belonged  to  a  big  family. 

A  happy  way  of  remembering  hospital  patients, 
especially  children,  is  a  "Sunshine  Box"  which  con- 
tains suitable  packages  to  be  opened  each  day.  Such 
a  box  often  brings  joy  and  interest  to  a  whole  ward. 


50  ^Jje  J^ome  department 


Welfare  Committee 

At  the  International  Sunday  School  Convention, 
held  in  June,  1918,  at  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  the  Home  De- 
partment Conference  adopted  the  following  resolution: 
''Resolved,  that  a  committee  be  appointed  in  each 
Home  Department  to  seek  out  needy  cases  and  to 
cooperate  with  such  local  organizations  as  may  exist, 
and  also  with  organizations  of  a  national  character,  in 
meeting  these  needs." 

The  finding  of  the  commission  was  as  follows:  The 
Home  Department,  dealing  directly  with  the  individual 
home,  and  knowing  usually  most  intimately  the  con- 
ditions in  the  home,  should  be  a  powerful  factor  in 
cooperating  with  other  organizations  now  working  for 
the  betterment  of  the  home. 

The  Welfare  Committee  of  the  department  should 
cooperate  with  any  organization  in  the  community  of 
a  local  or  national  character  in  seeking  out  and  min- 
istering to  needy  families. 

During  a  recent  hard  winter,  one  department  secured 
the  cooperation  of  the  Needle  Work  Guild  of  America 
to  provide  new  underwear  for  several  needy  families. 
In  cooperation  with  a  local  organization,  they  secured 
coal  and  food  for  families  sadly  in  need.  Several  per- 
sons were  helped  in  securing  employment  by  having 
their  names  placed  with  the  employment  bureau  of  the 
YMC  A. 

It  should  also  be  the  duty  of  this  committee  to  ar- 
range for  members  to  visit  shut-ins  and  read  for  blind 


^tanbing  Committees;  anb  tE^fteir  Morfe         51 

people,  also  to  arrange  for  services  in  homes,  institu- 
tions, and  prisons. 

Review  Questions 

1.  Name  the  standing  committees. 

2.  How  are  special  committees  appointed? 

3.  What  are  some  of  the  important  duties  of  the 
Membership  Committee? 

4.  How  can  this  committee  help  the  visitor  with 
special  calls  and  new  families  in  the  parish? 

5.  What  is  the  duty  of  this  committee  with  reference 
to  securing  Sunday-school  attendance? 

6.  How  should  a  resignation  be  treated? 

7.  What  are  the  duties  of  the  Social  Committee? 

8.  What  are  the  duties  of  the  Flower  Committee  in 
quarantine?    In  long  illness?    In  hospital  cases? 

9.  How  can  the  whole  membership  be  made  to  help 
this  committee? 

10.  What  is  a  Sunshine  Box  and  how  is  it  used? 

11.  What  are  the  duties  of  a  Welfare  Committee? 
With  what  other  committees  should  this  committee 
cooperate? 


IX 

Social  anb  Special  ©ccasiions; 

No  department  derives  greater  benefit  from  social 
gatherings  than  the  Home  Department.  The  objec- 
tions so  frequently  made  that  the  members  of  this 
department  cannot  be  brought  together  because  they 
are  unable  to  attend  Sunday  school  is  not  good  reason- 
ing. The  members  of  this  department  need  to  come 
together,  perhaps  more  than  those  who  have  the  oppor- 
tunity of  frequent  attendance  on  the  Sunday  school  and 
church,  and  to  be  made  to  feel  that  they  are  not  left 
out  but  belong  to  a  warm-hearted  church  family.  It 
will  pay,  even  if  special  efforts  have  to  be  made  to  secure 
their  attendance. 

One  department,  which  had  been  unusually  successful 
in  securing  members,  was  planning  for  its  first  recep- 
tion and  social.  A  splendid  program  had  been  arranged 
and  plans  made  for  refreshments.  A  Reception  and  a 
Decorating  Committee  had  been  appointed  and  the 
council  now  met  to  send  out  the  invitations.  The 
superintendent  asked  the  visitors  what  the  outlook  was 
for  the  attendance  of  their  members.  One  visitor  said 
she  felt  rather  discouraged  as  there  were  little  children 
in  every  home  in  her  district,  and,  as  both  husband  and 
wife  were  to  be  invited,  there  would  be  no  one  to  care 
for  the  children;   and  yet  wherever  she  had  spoken  of 

52 


Social  anb  Special  0tta^ioni  53 

the  reception,  the  members  were  all  anxious  to  attend. 
Nearly  all  the  visitors  agreed  that  the  same  conditions 
prevailed  in  every  district.  How  to  make  it  possible 
for  both  husband  and  wife  to  attend  was  the  question. 
It  was  finally  decided  to  give,  on  the  evening  of  the 
reception,  two  simple  parties  for  younger  girls  and  boys, 
in  homes  where  there  were  no  Home  Department  mem- 
bers, and  to  secure  the  service  of  older  girls  to  care  for 
children  too  small  to  attend  these  parties,  two  girls 
going  to  each  home.  Then  plans  were  made  to  secure 
automobiles  for  those  who  would  otherwise  be  unable 
to  come. 

The  Sunday-school  room  was  fitted  up  as  a  home, 
with  rugs  on  the  floor,  pictures  on  the  wal^s,  lamps  and 
books  on  tables,'  and  easy  chairs  for  the  old  folks.  The 
platform  was  arranged  as  part  of  a  living  room,  and  a 
grandfather's  clock  ticked  merrily  away  and  chimed 
the  hour. 

The  program  included  a  twenty-minute  informal  re- 
ception. In  the  receiving  line  were  the  pastor,  the 
Sunday-school  superintendent,  the  Home  Department 
superintendent,  and  a  state  worker.  The  Home  De- 
partment visitors,  dressed  in  white  with  Home  Depart- 
ment badges  and  colored  canes,  were  the  ushers.  Brief 
devotions  were  followed  by  the  reports  of  the  secretary 
and  the  treasurer.  Then  each  visitor  responded  to  the 
roll  call  with  the  statement  of  the  work  in  her  district. 
Instrumental  and  vocal  solos,  choir  and  orchestra  selec- 
tions, readings,  and  a  short  sketch  followed  one  another 
in  quick  succession.     Then  came  the  social  hour  and 


54  tirfje  J^ome  department 

refreshments.  An  old  lady  of  eighty,  who  had  been  a 
Church  member  for  seventy  years,  had  not  attended  a 
church  or  social  function  outside  her  own  home  for  ten 
years.  She  was  carried  from  the  automobile  to  a  large, 
comfortable  armchair,  where  she  held  court  all  evening. 
She  laughed  during  the  program  until  the  tears  rolled 
down  her  face,  and  smiled  as  she  said  that  she  wished 
that  she  were  young  enough  to  help  this  fine  work 
along.  ''Why,"  she  said,  ''this  is  like  a  big,  happy 
family,  and  I'm  so  glad  I  belong." 

Some  departments  are  able  to  arrange  for  social 
occasions  every  quarter,  others  twice  a  year.  Local 
conditions  must  be  taken  into  consideration,  but  the 
social  side  must  not  be  neglected  if  the  department  is 
to  be  a  success. 

Special  Occasions 

AS  has  already  been  stated,  the  department  should 
have  some  definite  part  in  every  special  program  in  the 
Sunday  school. 

1.  At  a  Christmas  celebration,  one  department 
formed  a  tableau  of  the  Holy  Family  in  the  stable, 
with  a  canvas  background  showing  the  animals.  A 
real  manger  had  been  provided.  The  members  took 
the  part  of  Mary  and  Joseph  and  the  shepherds.  A 
real  baby  was  in  the  manger,  and  by  electric  contri- 
vance the  star  shone  on  them  from  above.  The  Home 
Department  was  seated  on  one  side  of  the  platform  and 
sang  softly  "Silent  Night,  Holy  Night."  The  climax 
was  reached  when  the  little  baby  stretched  out  its 
arms  to  the  mother  just  as  the  curtain  descended. 


Social  anb  Special  0tta^iom  55 

2.  At  an  Easter  celebration,  the  dialogue  between 
Mary  and  the  risen  Saviour  was  used,  while  the  de- 
partment sang,  ''See  the  Place  Where  Jesus  Lay." 
This  must  be  done  in  a  most  reverential  spirit  if  it  is 
to  be  effective. 

3.  At  a  Children's  Day  celebration,  four  Home  De- 
partment mothers,  dressed  in  white  and  wearing  Home 
Department  colors,  formed  an  arch  through  which  the 
tiny  Cradle  Roll  babies  passed  as  they  came  to  the 
platform  to  be  promoted  to  the  Beginners  Department. 
While  the  children  were  coming  to  the  platform,  the 
mothers  recited  together: 

"We  bring  you  to-day  our  treasures, 
Each  boy  and  each  girl  so  fair; 
We  ask  you  to  help  us  guide  their  feet 
In  life's  true  pathway  and  keep  them  sweet. 
We  love  our  little  darlings  so. 
And  ask  that  you  will  love  them,  too." 

4.  On  Rally  Day,  the  Home  Department  should  be 
prepared  to  give  a  report  of  work  done  and  plans  for  the 
coming  fall  and  winter.  One  department  had  on  the 
Rally  Day  program  this  announcement:  ''Those  We 
Are  After."  A  mother  with  a  little  baby,  an  invalid  in 
a  wheel  chair,  a  nurse,  a  doctor,  a  railway  clerk,  a 
grandmother  with  two  little  children,  a  policeman,  a 
fireman,  a  telegraph  operator,  and  others  dressed  to 
represent  eighteen  different  characters,  each  carrying 
an  open  Bible,  came  to  the  platform  while  the  choir 
sang,    "Break  Thou  the  Bread  of  Life,  Dear  Lord,  to 


56  tJTJe  J^omt  department 

Me."  At  the  close  of  the  hymn,  a  soldier  and  a  sailor 
came  forward  and  sang  ''Home,  Sweet  Home,"  while 
the  whole  audience  joined  softly  in  the  chorus. 

5.  Many  departments  now  take  charge  of  arrange- 
ments for  the  observance  of  Mother's  Day  or  Parents' 
Day,  and  it  seems  that  if  any  department  in  the  church 
or  school  should  be  responsible  for  this  service  more 
than  another,  it  is  the  Home  Department.  A  good 
Home  Department  Council  should  be  able  to  plan  a 
service  that  would  long  be  remembered. 

1.  Special  effort  must  be  made  to  get  the  mothers 
to  attend. 

2.  Where  there  are  little  children,  plans  must  be 
made  to  care  for  them  during  the  service. 

3.  Conveyances  must  be  provided  for  the  invahd 
and  the  aged  and  those  living  at  a  great  distance. 

4.  Care  must  be  taken  that  the  service  shall  be  a 
cheerful,  joyful  tribute  to  mother  love. 

5.  The  decorations  should  be  carefully  planned  and 
a  flower  provided  for  each  mother. 

6.  The  visitors,  dressed  in  white,  should  act  as 
ushers,  seat  the  people,  receive  the  offering,  distribute 
programs  or  other  material  used,  welcome  strangers, 
and  at  the  close  of  the  service,  each  visitor  should  be 
assigned  to  some  section  of  the  church  to  introduce  the 
members  to  one  another. 

One  department  prepared  the  following  simple  but 
effective  program,  in  which  every  department  in  the 
Sunday  school  shared:  After  the  invocation,  the  hj^mn, 
''Sweet  Hour  of  Prayer,"  was  sung.     The  Beginners 


Social  anb  Special  0aa$iioni  57 

and  Primary  departments  had  twelve  little  boys  and 
girls,  all  dressed  in  white,  march  to  the  platform.  One 
little  girl  brought  a  basket  filled  with  moss.  Each 
child  had  a  carnation  with  a  wired  stem.  The  little 
girl  placed  the  basket  on  a  stand  in  the  center  of  the 
platform.  Then,  placing  her  own  carnation  in  the 
basket,  she  recited: 


"We  come,  our  tributes  bringing, 
To  one  we  love  most  dear, 
And  gladly  do  we  render 
Our  happy  homage  here. 
In  every  country,  every  clime, 
In  every  tribe  and  nation, 
Mother,  that's  the  sweetest  name 
In  all  God's  great  creation." 


While  the  children  were  still  on  the  platform,  the 
Junior  Department  sang,  "Mother,  That  Sweetest 
Name  "  The  congregation  recited  the  Twenty-third 
Psalm,  after  which  the  Young  People's  Department 
sang,  ''Faith  of  Our  Mothers,  Holy  Faith,"  using  the 
word  ''mothers"  in  place  of  "fathers."  Then  followed 
the  notices  and  offering  and  an  anthem  by  the  choir. 
The  Adult  Department  had  six  men  and  six  women 
come  to  the  platform,  who  presented  "The  Testimony 
of  the  Ages."  Each  recited  a  beautiful  tribute,  which 
had  been  given  by  some  prominent  character  in  history. 
A  wonderful  message  on  "God's  Gift  to  the  World  of 
Mother    Love"    followed.     The    service   closed   with 


58  tlTije  J^omt  department 


''Jerusalem  the  Golden"  and  a  fifteen-minute  informal 
reception  followed. 

Review  Questions 

1.  Why  are  social  activities  essential  to  a  successful 
department? 

2.  What  are  some  of  the  important  things  that  must 
be  considered  in  planning  for  a  Home  Department 
social? 

3.  How  often  should  such  functions  be  held? 

4.  Should  the  department  be  satisfied  with  attending 
the  special  days  in  the  Sunday  school? 

5.  How  may  we  increase  the  attendance  of  our  mem- 
bers on  these  special  days? 

6. '  Name  some  special  occasions  when  the  department 
may  share  in  the  program  with  profit  to  both  the  de- 
partment and  the  school. 

7.  Why  should  the  department  have  charge  of  the 
preparations  for  Mother's  Day? 

8.  What  should  be  the  nature  of  the  service? 

9.  Who  should  sliare  in  the  program? 

10.  How  should  the  fifteen  minutes  at  the  close  of 
the  service  be  used? 


X 
Cooperating  toitf)  tf)e  ^unbap  ^c!)ool 

The  Home  Department  should  be  brought  into  the 
closest  possible  relationship  with  the  Sunday  school  of 
which  it  is  such  a  vital  part.  A  place  should  be  found 
for  it  as  frequently  as  possible  in  the  opening  or  closing 
worship  of  the  school,  and  its  membership  should  be 
included  in  the  prayer  every  Sunday.  The  department 
itself  can  do  much  to  keep  the  relationship  fresh  and 
interesting. 

1.  A  name  roll  should  be  hung  in  a  prominent  place 
in  the  main  Sunday-school  room,  and  the  secretary  of 
the  department  should  be  present  at  least  once  a 
quarter  (once  a  month  is  better)  to  make  such  changes 
and  additions  as  are  necessary  to  keep  the  roll  up  to 
date.  At  such  times  she  should  be  given  a  few  moments 
to  speak  to  the  school.  She  should  ask  those  pupils 
whose  parents  are  not  in  the  Sunday  school  or  on  the 
roll  which  she  has  just  corrected  to  raise  their  hands, 
then  urge  them  to  secure  these  names  for  the  Home 
Department.  She  should  announce  that  she  would  be 
at  the  door  with  cards  and  literature.  She  should  ask 
those  who  are  not  sure  whether  or  not  their  parents  are 
in  the  Home  Department  to  see  if  they  can  find  their 
names  on  the  roll. 

In  one  school  where  such  an  invitation  was  given,  a 

59 


60  tIDfje  H^omt  Bepartment 

crowd  of  children  gathered  around  the  roll,  looking  for 
the  names  of  their  friends  and  relatives.  All  at  once 
a  Junior  exclaimed:  '' Hurrah!  I've  got  five  of  my 
folks  on.  Can  any  of  you  beat  that?"  My  grandmother 
is  on  it,  my  two  aunts,  and  my  mother  and  father." 
Then  a  little  Primarj^  bo}^  who  had  tried  hard  to  get 
near  the  roll,  asked  this  Junior  to  see  if  anyone  in  his 
house  was  on  the  roll.  Sinclair  was  the  name.  The 
Junior  pushed  the  other  children  to  one  side  and  called 
out  the  names  beginning  with  "S."  There  were  Smiths 
and  Stouts  and  Stanleys,  but  there  were  no  Sinclairs. 
When  the  little  boy  was  assured  that  no  Sinclair  was 
on  the  roll,  his  eyes  filled  and  his  lips  trembled  as  he 
said:  ''Gee,  that  ain't  fair.  You  got  five  and  I  got 
none.  But  I'll  get  them  before  next  Sunday  and  I'll 
ask  Mrs.  Best  to  put  them  on,  so  you  can  all  see  them 
next  Sunday."    That  roll  had  won  four  new  meml)ers. 

2.  A  quarterly  report,  carefully  prepared,  should  be 
given  by  the  superintendent  at  the  Sunday-school  ses- 
sion. The  report  should  include  transfers  to  main 
school,  removals,  deaths,  additions,  and  the  present 
membership.  The  financial  report  should  also  be  pre- 
sented, giving  the  amount  per  capita  by  district  and 
as  a  whole,  also  the  number  of  visitors  serving  during 
the  quarter.  Then  such  items  of  interest  should  be 
given  as  will  call  the  attention  of  the  school  to  the 
work  of  this  department. 

3.  At  all  special  occasions  of  the  Sunday  school,  such 
as  Christmas,  Easter,  Mother's  Day,  Children's  Day, 
Rally  Day,  a  place  should  be  reserved  for  members  of 


Cooperating  toitf)  tfje  ^unbap  ^cfjool  61 

the  Home  Department.  Some  definite  part  in  the  pro- 
gram should  be  assigned,  not  a  report  or  a  statement, 
but  some  part  that  will  awaken  an  interest  and  show 
the  importance  of  the  work.  (See  Ch.  IX.)  More 
Home  Department  members  will  attend  if  the  depart- 
ment is  known  to  haVe  a  special  part  in  the  program. 

4.  Notices  should  be  given  from  the  Sunday-school 
desk  of  all  meetings  of  the  Home  Department  Council 
and  of  all  the  work  planned.  Items  of  interest  should 
be  prepared  for  the  Sunday-school  bulletin,  church 
calendar,  and  monthlies,  and  also  for  pulpit  notices. 

5.  The  superintendent  and  pastor  should  be  invited 
to  the  Home  Department  Council  meetings,  and,  at 
intervals,  invited  to  address  the  workers  on  ''How 
Better  to  Serve  the  Church  and  the  Sunday  School." 

6.  An  occasional  contest  should  be  encouraged  be- 
tween this  department  and  some  department  in  the 
main  school,  each  side  to  secure  new  members  for  all 
departments  of  the  school. 

7.  There  should  be  the  closest  cooperation  between 
this  department  and  the  Cradle  Roll.  In  a  Baptist 
church  in  Camden,  New  Jersey,  the  Cradle  Roll  hangs 
on  one  side  of  a  panel,  the  Home  Department  Roll  on 
the  other  side,  and  on  the  panel  itself,  the  state  cer- 
tificate that  the  Home  Department  is  a  standard  de- 
partment. 

Under  the  standard  hangs  a  beautifully  framed 
motto  reading,  "Every  baby's  mother  in  the  Home 
Department  and  every  mother's  baby  on  the  Cradle 
Roll.    We  are  coworkers  together." 


62  ^fje  l^ome  department 

The  Home  Department  visitor  should  be  on  con- 
stant lookout  for  Cradle  Roll  members,  and  the  Cradle 
Roll  worker  for  Home  Department  members.  The 
Cradle  Roll  superintendent  should  be  a  member  of  the 
Home  Department  Council. 

8.  In  some  of  the  social  activil^ies  of  the  Home  De- 
partment the  Cradle  Roll,  Beginners,  Primary,  and  their 
mothers,  should  be  included. 

A  Presbyterian  church  in  New  Jersey  had  planned 
a  lawn  reception  and  social  for  the  Home  Department 
including  the  Cradle  Roll.  Careful  preparations  were 
made  and  the  weather  was  all  that  could  be  desired; 
yet  many  of  those  invited  did  not  appear.  The  super- 
intendent, in  calling  at  one  home,  discovered  the  reason. 
''How  could  I  attend?"  said  the  mother.  ''The  baby 
was  the  only  one  besides  myself  who  was  invited.  I 
have  three  other  young  children,  and  no  one  to  leave 
them  with,  so  of  course  I  had  to  stay  home,  although 
I  wanted  to  come."  The  next  year  the  Cradle  Roll, 
Beginners,  and  Primary  children  were  invited.  The 
Home  Department  visitors  were  assisted  by  the  girls 
of  the  Intermediate  Department  in  caring  for  the  little 
ones. 

9.  At  least  one  social  function  a  year  should  be  held 
by  the  department,  when  the  officers  and  the  teachers 
of  the  church  and  school  should  be  the  guests  of  the 
Home  Department  members.  This  will  encourage  the 
spirit  of  fellowship  and  cooperation. 

10.  There  should  be  a  Home  Department  Class  in 
the  Sunday  school,  where  the  visitors  and  members 


Cooperating  toitfj  tlje  ^unbap  ^cfjool  63 

may  come  when  they  are  able  to  attend.  Such  a  class 
will  stimulate  the  interest  of  the  Home  Department 
members  in  the  school  and  frequently  be  the  means  of 
winning  them  to  regular  attendance.  It  is  a  good  plan 
to  have  a  visitor  in  charge  of  this  class  and  to  have  the 
members  of  the  department  invited  by  the  various  visit- 
ors to  attend.  In  one  Sunday  school  which  organized 
such  a  class  the  Home  Department  Class  soon  became 
the  largest  adult  class  in  the  school. 

11.  Where  there  is  a  ''Messenger  Service"  in  the 
school,  visitors  may  seek  the  cooperation  of  this  organi- 
zation in  the  distribution  of  library  books,  Sunday- 
school  papers,  church  bulletins,  calendars,  and  month- 
hes,  on  Sunday,  and  in  the  sending  out  of  special  mes- 
sages through  the  week;  but  under  no  consideration 
must  this  interfere  with  the  regular  work  of  the  visitors. 
It  is  the  personal  touch  of  an  experienced  Christian 
worker  which  is  the  most  powerful  factor  in  Home  De- 
partment work  and  some  of  the  departments  have  lost 
out  by  delegating  their  work  to  inexperienced  youths. 

12.  The  greatest  difficulty  in  our  organized  Sunday- 
school  work  is  the  lack  of  cooperation  in  the  home. 
To  this  may  be  traced  the  reason  for  much  of  our  failure. 

The  figures  given  at  the  International  Sunday  School 
Convention  at  Buffalo  in  June,  1918,  were  to  the  effect 
that  seven  out  of  ten  pass  from  the  Sunday  school 
without  becoming  Church  members.  If  we  consider 
that  from  seventy  to  eighty  per  cent  of  all  additions  to 
our  Protestant  churches  come  from  the  Sunday  school, 
we  realize  what  a  serious  problem  this  is.    After  making 


64  Wi)t  H^omt  department 


a  survey  in  representative  schools,  in  large  cities,  small 
cities,  suburbs,  and  country  communities,  and  holding 
conferences  with  superintendents  and  Sunday-school 
field  workers,  we  learned  that  large  numbers  of  teach- 
ers are  so  placed  that  they  are  never  able  to  visit  the 
homes  of  their  pupils.  One  superintendent  was  asked 
why  he  did  not  require,  as  one  of  the  conditions  for 
becoming  a  teacher  in  his  school,  that  the  teacher  must 
visit  every  pupil  at  least  once  a  year.  He  replied  that 
if  that  were  made  a  requirement,  he  would  lose  half  of 
his  teaching  force.  Another  replied  that  he  would  lose 
nearly  all  of  his,  not  for  want  of  interest  alone,  but  fre- 
quently because  of  conditions  which  make  it  impossible 
for  the  teacher  to  visit.  Another  superintendent  was 
asked  if  any  of  his  teachers  visited  the  homes  more 
than  four  times  a  year.  His  only  answer  was  a  shake 
of  the  head  and  a  smile. 

Here  is  the  Home  Department's  great  opportunity. 
It  is  a  department  whose  chief  duty  is  home  visitation 
and  the  school  is  suffering  for  lack  of  cooperation  in 
the  home.  The  chief  duty  of  the  visitor  is  to  make 
four  regular,  personal  calls  each  year  in  the  homes  com- 
mitted to  her  care,  and  there  are  so  many  reasons  why 
extra  calls  are  necessary  that  this  number  is  frequently 
doubled,  so  that  the  visitor  comes  in  contact  with  a 
home  from  four  to  eight  times  each  year. 

A  teacher  of  girls  had  been  working  hard  with  her 
class,  praying  and  hoping  that  they  would  all  be  pre- 
pared to  take  their  stand  for  Christ  on  Decision  Day. 
Great  was  her  disappointment  when  not  one  of  her 


Cooperating  tnift  tje  ^unbap  ^cfjool  65 

class  signed  the  card  or  rose  when  the  invitation  was 
given. 

''Have  you  ever  visited  these  girls  in  their  homes?" 
asked  a  friend  to  whom  the  teacher  mentioned  her  deci- 
sion to  give  up  the  class.  ''No,  I  cannot  do  so,"  she 
answered.  "  I  work  till  six  o'clock  every  week  day.  My 
mother  is  an  invalid,  and  I  must  do  all  the  housework 
I  can,  mornings  and  evenings,  to  help  her.  On  Sunday 
mornings  I  take  her  to  church  in  her  wheel  chair,  Sun- 
day afternoons  I  am  in  Sunday  school,  and  I  feel  that 
I  owe  my  Sunday  evenings  to  my  mother.  I  simply 
cannot  find  the  time  to  visit  the  girls  in  their  homes, 
and  much  as  I  love  them,  I  fear  I  must  give  them  up." 

At  the  friend's  suggestion  the  teacher  made  inquiry 
and  learned  that  a  Home  Department  had  been  or- 
ganized in  the  school  some  six  months  before.  It  was 
found  that  the  homes  represented  in  the  class  were 
divided  between  four  Home  Department  visitors.  They 
had  already  been  calling  several  times  in  the  homes,  and 
were  just  then  preparing  for  their  regular  quarterly  visit. 
The  teacher's  difficulty  was  explained  to  the  Home  De- 
partment visitors,  who  were  asked  to  help  interest  the 
parents  in  what  the  teacher  was  trying  to  do  for  the 
girls.  The  story  of  the  teacher,  and  of  her  disappoint- 
ment, was  told  in  every  home  of  the  class.  In  each  case 
the  mother's  attitude  was  definitely  changed.  In  place 
of  the  hfe-killing  indifference  which  was  found  in  nearly 
every  home,  the  visitor  left  behind  a  warm  appreciation 
and  a  better  understanding  of  the  aims  of  the  Sunday 
school.  As  a  result,  on  Easter  Sunday  seven  out  of  that 
5 


66  tEte  J^omt  department 

class  of  eleven  joined  the  Church,  also  three  mothers 
and  one  father. 

Review  Questions 

1.  Where  and  how  should  the  Home  Department 
Roll  be  kept? 

2.  How  often  should  the  Home  Department  report 
be  given  in  the  Sunday  school  and  what  should  the 
report  include? 

3.  What  arrangements  should  the  school  make  for 
the  Home  Department  members  on  special  days? 

4.  How  can  the  Home  Department  cooperate  with 
the  Cradle  Roll? 

5.  How  can  the  Home  Department  cooperate  with 
the  other  departments? 

6.  How  can  the  visitor  cooperate  with  the  teacher 
in  the  regular  home  visitation? 

7.  How  can  the  department  cooperate  in  the  social 
life  of  the  school? 

8.  How  can  the  department  cooperate  with  the 
school  in  the  preparations  for  Decision  Da^^? 

9.  How  can  the  department  cooperate  with  the  Mes- 
senger Service? 

10.  What  can  be  accomplished  by  a  Home  Depart- 
ment Class  in  the  school? 


XI 

Jfamilp  ffliorsifjip  anb  3^t9iponsiMt  Cftri^tian 
^arentf)ODti 

Family  Worship 

No  part  of  our  work  is  more  essential  or  gives  more 
blessed  results  than  that  in  the  interest  of  family  wor- 
ship. It  is  hardly  necessary  to  speak  of  the  great  need, 
for  it  is  universally  recognized.  The  home  with  the 
family  altar  is  the  foundation  stone  of  a  Christian 
world.  Let  this  fail,  and  no  amount  of  organized 
activities  or  secular  education  can  stem  the  tide  of 
desolation  that  will  follow.  Give  it  an  important  place 
in  the  life  of  the  Church,  in  the  pulpit,  in  the  Sunday 
school,  in  conferences,  in  printed  material,  in  conse- 
crated leadership,  and  the  home  will  respond  and  do 
its  full  share  in  bringing  the  Church  gloriously  through 
the  coming  years. 

The  family  altar  is  not  only  a  benefit  to  the  children 
and  youth  in  the  home,  and  a  guiding  star  through  life, 
but  it  is  the  greatest  stimulant  to  consecrated  living  on 
the  part  of  the  parent.  One  may  bluff  before  friends 
and  business  associates,  but  he  cannot  bluff  before 
the  clear  eyes  of  the  children  around  him  when  he 
opens  the  Bible  or  lifts  his  voice  in  prayer.  He  must 
live  as  he  prays,  and  be  loving,  kind,  patient,  and  fair 
in  all  his  dealings. 

67 


68  Wi)t  J^omt  department 

The  Great  War  has  revealed  the  great  comfort  and 
shield  in  temptation  many  a  boy  found  in  the  knowledge 
that  his  folks  at  home  were  praying  for  him  daily.  One 
boy  told  how  he  nearly  lost  his  foothold  twice,  but 
each  time  the  consciousness  that  they  were  praying 
for  him  at  home  held  him  back.  ''It  certainly  was 
strange,"  he  said,  ''how  near  they  seemed  to  me  when 
I  needed  them  most." 

1.  No  visitor  must  consider  her  work  complete  as 
long  as  there  are  in  her  district  homes  without  family 
altars.  If  she  feels  that  she  cannot  speak  to  her  mem- 
bers on  the  subject,  she  should  bring  with  her  some 
of  the  small  leaflets  dealing  with  this  subject  and  leave 
them  with  the  members.  (These  leaflets  may  be  se- 
cured from  almost  every  denominational  house  at  very 
small  cost.)  When  she  makes  her  next  call,  she  should 
ask  if  the  leaflets  have  been  read  and  thus  lead  the 
conversation  to  the  subject.  The  visitor  should  also 
be  prepared  with  a  knowledge  of  the  best  books  and 
the  most  helpful  material  on  the  subject,  so  that  at 
the  slightest  evidence  of  interest  on  the  part  of  the 
family  she  might  be  prepared  to  be  of  help. 

2.  At  least  once  a  year  the  Home  Department  Council 
should  issue  a  circular  letter,  setting  forth  the  need 
and  the  great  blessing  of  family  worship,  to  be  sent 
to  all  the  homes  in  the  church  and  parish. 

3.  Once  every  six  months  the  department  should 
plan  with  the  pastor  for  a  special  service,  when  such 
subjects  as  "The  Home  Altar,"  "Religion  in  the 
Home,"  "Foundation  of  a  Christian  Nation,"  "God's 


Jfamilp  Mov^iip  69 


Covenant  with  the  Home,"  should  be  discussed.  At 
such  times  tlie  visitor  should  use  every  effort  to  have 
the  members  attend.  Cards  should  be  distributed  at 
the  service  and  all  present  should  be  encouraged  to 
pledge  themselves  to  observe  family  worship. 

4.  The  visitors  themselves  should  study  the  subject 
at  the  quarterly  meetings,  so  as  to  prepare  themselves 
in  every  possible  way  to  help  the  home.  The  question 
is  often  asked  in  conferences,  ''If  the  visitor  herself 
does  not  observe  family  worship,  how  can  she  encourage 
others  to  do  so?"  This  is  one  of  the  reasons  why  the 
department  has  not  been  more  successful  with  Grade  A, 
but  to  such  a  visitor  we  would  say:  ''Pray  earnestty 
that  God  will  give  you  wisdom  and  courage  to  do  that 
which  you  know  Avill  bring  blessing  on  you  and  yours. 
Under  no  circumstances,  however,  must  you  neglect  to 
distribute  the  material  and  invite  your  members  to 
such  special  occasions  as  are  planned  in  the  interests 
of  this  important  part  of  our  work.  Your  members 
must  be  helped;  the  homes  in  your  district  must  be 
reached;  this  is  your  duty;   do  not  fail  to  do  it." 

Responsible  Christian  Parenthood 

It  is  an  amazing  fact  that  few  Christian  parents 
accept  the  responsibility  of  leading  their  own  children 
to  a  definite  decision  for  Christ.  They  seem  willing, 
and  even  anxious,  to  place  this  sacred  duty  on  some 
outside  person  or  organization,  and  yet  by  so  doing 
they  are  losing  for  themselves  the  tenderness  and  rever- 
ence in  which  the  child  holds  the  person  who  leads 


70  K\}t  Jlome  department 

him  to  make  his  first  decision  for  Christ.  This  not 
only  injures  the  home  in  that  it  robs  the  parents  of  an 
experience  which  binds  father  and  son,  mother  and 
daughter,  closer  than  anything  else  can,  but  it  also 
robs  them  of  the  crown  of  joy  which  rightly  belongs  to 
them  and  the  consciousness  that  they  can  one  day 
answer,  ''Behold,  I  and  the  children  whom  God  hath 
given  me." 

The  Christian  Church  feels  that  this  sacred  duty 
should  be  carefully  considered  and  the  parents  brought 
to  see  their  responsibility.  Yet  little  teaching  or  help 
is  given  the  j^arents  either  in  pulpit  or  in  the  rehgious 
press.  The  Home  Department,  therefore,  has  a  won- 
derful opportunity  to  give  the  parents  valuable  help, 
and,  because  of  its  close  contact  with  the  home,  it  is  in 
a  position  to  understand  the  need  better  than  any  other 
department. 

1.  The  Home  Department  Council  should  studj^  the 
local  conditions;  material  which  would  be  helpful  to 
the  home;  free  literature  which  the  department  could 
provide  for  distribution;  and  how  to  approach  the 
home  on  this  subject. 

2.  The  visitor  should  call  attention  to  special  articles 
in  the  Quarterly,  distribute  the  free  material,  and  when 
opportunity  offers,  speak  of  the  joy  of  leading  one's 
own  children  to  Christ.  The  visitor  should  also  use 
special  effort  to  secure  the  attendance  of  members  at 
such  special  services  as  are  arranged  in  the  interest  of 
this  important  subject. 

3.  The  Home  Department  Council  should  offer  to 


Jfamilp  5!lat£{})ip  71 


help  the  Sunday  school  in  preparations  for  Decision 
Day.  The  Home  Department  workers  should  present 
the  plan  of  the  school  in  the  home  and  urge  the  coop- 
eration of  the  parents  and  their  attendance  at  the 
Sunday-school  session  on  Decision  Day,  so  that  they 
may  be  present  to  give  their  consent  and  also  to  lend 
their  influence  on  this  important  occasion. 

4.  It  is  a  wise  plan  for  the  Sunday-school  superin- 
tendent to  call  a  joint  meeting  of  the  Home  Depart- 
ment visitors  and  the  Sunday-school  teachers  for  con- 
ference. As  a  rule  the  visitor  knows  the  parents  inti- 
mately and  should  therefore  be  of  great  assistance  to 
the  teacher.  The  visitor  has  to  make  her  quarterly 
call  after  the  last  Sunday  in  March,  and  this  fact 
should  be  taken  advantage  of  b}^  the  school.  Even 
w^here  the  teacher  is  able  to  call  in  the  home,  the 
teacher  should  seek  the  cooperation  of  the  visitor,  and 
where  the  teacher  is  unable  to  visit  in  the  home,  the 
visitor  should  make  special  effort  on  behalf  of  the 
teacher  and  the  school. 

One  pastor  decided  that  never  again  would  he  call 
on  children  to  take  a  stand  for  Christ  without  the 
presence  of  the  parents.  He  planned  to  have  all  the 
parents  not  already  in  the  Sunday  school  come  at  a 
certain  hour,  and  he  assigned  the  work  of  securing 
their  presence  as  the  Home  Department's  part  of  the 
day's  work.  The  Beginners  and  Primary  departments 
were  dismissed  and  the  rest  of  the  school  marched  into 
the  church  auditorium.  The  parents  took  seats  with 
their  own  children,  and  it  was  a  beautiful  sight  to  see 


72  'Q^\)t  l^ome  department 

parents,  teachers,  and  Home  Department  visitors  all 
working  together  for  the  salvation  of  the  children. 
The  results  were  beyond  all  expectation  and  far  more 
satisfactory  than  under  any  previous  plan. 

Four  girls  in  New  Jersey  were  apparently  ready  to 
take  a  stand  for  Christ,  but  they  seemed  to  lose  inter- 
est when  they  were  urged  to  make  their  decision  at 
home.  The  teacher  did  not  feel  that  she  had  the  right 
to  rob  the  parents  of  the  joy  of  leading  these  girls  to 
Christ,  and  while  she  believed  that  each  girl  would 
gladly  have  taken  the  stand  alone  with  her  after  the 
class,  she  decided  to  visit  each  home  and  urge  the  parents 
to  help  their  own  daughter.  But  the  mothers  confessed 
that  they  did  not  know  how  to  approach  this  subject 
and  would  rather  have  the  teacher  deal  with  the  girls 
herself. 

In  one  home  the  teacher  urged  that  the  girl  be  called 
in  so  that  together  they  might  lead  her  to  make  her 
decision,  "for,"  she  said,  ''if  God  asks  you,  'Where  is 
NeUie?'  I  want  you  to  be  able  to  answer,  'I  led  her 
to  make  her  decision  in  my  own  home.'  You  would  not 
want  some  one  else  to  have  your  crown  of  rejoicing, 
because  you  had  not  dealt  fairly  with  your  child." 
When  Nellie  was  called,  and  asked  if  she  did  not  want 
to  take  her  stand  for  Jesus,  she  answered:  "I  have 
been  so  unhappy  about  it.  I  could  not  speak  to  mother 
because  I  did  not  think  she  cared,  or  would  perhaps 
think  I  was  too  young."  "Go,  tell  your  mother  then," 
said  the  teacher,  and  Nellie,  walking  over  to  where  her 
mother  was  sitting,  looked  up  into  her  face  and  said, 


Jfamilp  Morgfjip  73 


''I  want  to  take  my  stand  with  Jesus,  mother,  if  you 
don't  mind."  The  mother  folded  her  in  her  arms,  and 
they  knelt  together  in  prayer.  God  had  been  exalted 
in  that  home. 

Review  Questions 

1.  Why  is  family  worship  considered  the  corner  stone 
of  a  Christian  nation? 

2.  How  does  family  worship  benefit  the  home,  the 
Sunday  school,  the  Church,  the  nation? 

3.  Where  should  family  worship  be  emphasized  and 
given  first  place? 

4.  How  may  the  Home  Department  Council  best  fit 
itself  to  help  the  home? 

5.  How  may  the  visitor  overcome  the  difficulty  of 
leading  the  conversation  to  this  subject? 

6.  What  special  service  should  the  council  plan  for 
in  the  interest  of  this  important  work? 

7.  What   special   material   should   reach   the   home 
through  the  year? 

8.  With  what  special  material  should  the  visitor  be 
acquainted? 

9.  What  can  be  done  for  a  district  whose  visitor  does 
not  observe  family  worship? 

10.  Why  should  Christian  parents  be  urged  to  lead 
their  own  children  to  Christ? 

11.  What  does  the  home  lose  by  giving  this  privilege 
to  some  one  outside  the  home? 

12.  How  can  the  council  help  to  awaken  a  responsible 
Christian  parenthood? 

13.  Name  four  things  the  Home  Department  can  do. 

14.  How  may  the  department  help  the  home  before 
Decision  Day? 


XII 

Wi)t  J^omt  department  anb  tfje  tleacfjing  ot 
^eU=llnoti3lebge 

If  the  Home  Department  is  to  figure  largely  in  the 
community  life  of  the  future,  the  moral  question  con- 
cerning the  home  must  find  a  large  place  in  its  program. 
The  Great  War  has  brought  to  light  some  conditions 
of  which  the  nation  cannot  be  proud.  One  of  the  most 
important  of  these  conditions  was  the  ignorance  on  the 
part  of  young  men  regarding  personal  purity  and  a 
corresponding  ignorance  on  the  part  of  3^oung  women 
of  the  fundamental  truths  of  purity  and  parenthood. 

The  Home  Department  has  a  wonderful  opportunity 
for  helping  the  home  in  this  respect,  but  preparation  is 
necessary  if  the  work  is  to  be  successfully  undertaken. 

1.  The  Home  Department  Council  should  study  the 
problem  from  every  angle,  moral,  religious,  and  civic, 
so  as  to  grow  familiar  with  the  need,  the  method  of 
approach,  and  how  to  use  the  subject  helpfully  in 
conversation. 

2.  A  committee  should  be  appointed  to  secure  pam- 
phlets and  booklets,  carefulh^  examine  the  same,  and 
recommend  such  as  the  council  could  use  for  free  dis- 
tribution. The  superintendent  with  an  appointed 
committee  should  decide  what  material  should  be  placed 
in  the  individual  home. 

3.  A  small  library  of  books,  carefully  selected,  should 

74 


tlTeacfjing  of  ^elf=llnotaletige  75 

be  the  aim  of  each  department.  These  books  should  be 
lent  to  the  members  and  kept  in  constant  circulation. 

4.  When  sufficient  interest  has  been  awakened,  a 
''Mothers'  Meeting"  or  a  ''Parents'  Class"  should  be 
organized. 

In  one  Home  Department  where  this  plan  was  used 
a  visitor  lent  a  booklet  on  home-making  to  a  young 
married  woman  who  had  not  been  able  to  learn  much 
about  housework  or  home-keeping.  There  were  already 
signs  that  her  home  was  not  a  success.  The  book 
aroused  interest.  As  a  result,  the  girl  and  her  young 
husband  began  taking  long  walks  in  the  evenings.  The 
little  garden  in  front  of  their  tiny  house  began  to  re- 
ceive attention.  Where  it  had  seemed  that  they  were 
about  to  make  shipwreck  of  their  married  life,  they 
now  began  to  study  the  wonder  and  beauty  of  parent- 
hood and  to  prepare  themselves  to  make  and  keep 
their  home  sweet  and  beautiful.  They  were  continually 
asking  for  books  and,  after  the  baby  was  born,  the 
young  mother  suggested  that  a  "Mothers'  Circle"  be 
formed  by  the  department,  as  she  knew  other  young 
mothers  who  needed  just  such  help  as  she  had  received. 

Every  department  should  aim  for  a  "Mothers' 
Meeting"  in  connection  with  its  organized  work.  Many 
parents  have  little  time  to  devote  either  to  reading  or 
to  attending  lectures.  By  environment  and  education 
they  feel  themselves  unfitted  for  the  task  of  teaching 
the  fundamental  truths  of  life  and  purity,  and  yet  it  is 
evident  that  many  of  them  are  anxious  for  help.  This 
is  a  distinct  challenge  to  the  department  and  no  more 


76  tlDfje  J^ome  department 

important  work  could  be  undertaken.  Some  depart- 
ments have  tried  and  failed  because  of  the  technical 
courses  adopted.  The  mothers  have  neither  the  time 
nor  the  inclination  for  these  things.  The  work  should 
be  started  in  the  simplest  way  possible. 

One  department  which  has  had  great  success  used 
the  following  simple  plan :  The  meeting  was  held  on 
a  Thursday  afternoon,  once  a  month.  There  were  no 
dues.  A  box  was  placed  on  the  table  into  which  each 
member  was  privileged  to  put  questions  without  sig- 
nature, also  any  contribution.  A  Prudential  Commit- 
tee of  four  members,  guided  largely  by  the  questions 
in  the  box,  decided  on  the  subject  to  be  discussed  at 
each  meeting.  A  Reception  Committee  greeted  each 
mother  as  she  arrived,  introduced  her  to  others,  and 
gave  her  a  clipping  on  ''Work  of  Women  the  World 
Over."  These  clippings  were  read  in  response  to  names 
at  roll  call  and  helped  much  in  breaking  up  any  stiff- 
ness or  formality.  The  mothers  were  also  encouraged 
to  prepare  papers,  the  Prudential  Committee  furnishing 
helps  on  the  subjects  assigned.  For  nearly  a  year  no 
outside  speaker  was  invited  and  the  interest  increased 
continually.  Some  of  the  subjects  ably  handled  by  the 
mothers  and  directly  suggested  by  the  questions  in  the 
box  were  as  follows:  "Pubhc  School  Morals  and  My 
Boy";  ''Who  Is  Responsible  for  the  ReUgious  Training 
of  My  Child?";  "What  Shall  I  Tell  My  Child?"; 
"Confidence  Between  Mother  and  Daughter";  "From 
Birth  to  Marriage";  "Prenatal  Influences";  "Punish- 
ment That  Educates";    "How  to  Secure  Obedience." 


tlTeacfjing  of  ^elf=Enotoletige  77 

Once  each  quarter  the  meeting  was  held  in  the  even- 
ing and  the  fathers  invited;  on  such  occasions  one  or 
two  short  talks  were  given  by  the  men.  Some  of  the 
topics  discussed  by  them  were:  ''Knowing  My  John"; 
''In  My  Footsteps";  "A  Chip  Off  the  Old  Block"; 
"The  Moral  and  Religious  Responsibility  of  the 
Father";    ''Punishment,  Good  and  Bad." 

Such  a  meeting  may  be  carried  on  by  any  Home 
Department  and  will  prove  of  inestimable  value. 

Review  Questions 

1.  Why  is  ignorance  on  moral  subjects  to  be  feared? 

2.  Who  should  teach  the  truths  of  life  and  purity? 

3.  How  may  the  Home  Department  prepare  itself  to 
be  of  help  to  the  home  on  this  subject? 

4.  How  should  the  material  for  use  by  the  depart- 
ment be  selected? 

5.  Who  should  decide  what  material  is  best  fitted 
for  use  in  the  individual  home? 

6.  How  may  a  "Mothers'  Meeting"  be  conducted  by 
the  department? 

7.  What  should  be  the  nature  of  this  meeting? 

8.  How  may  the  mothers  be  helped  to  express  them- 
selves at  this  meeting? 

9.  What  is  a  good  way  of  breaking  up  formality  and 
helping  everyone  to  take  some  part? 

10.  Name  some  subjects  for  discussion  by  mothers. 

11.  When  should  the  fathers  be  invited  to  attend? 

12.  Suggest  some  fitting  subjects  for  discussion  by 
fathers. 

13.  Should  there  be  membership  dues? 

14.  How  may  a  good  attendance  at  this  meeting  be 
secured? 


XIII 

(group  Morfe 

Correspondence  Group 

A  visitor  should  be  appointed  to  have  charge  of  all 
those  who  move  from  the  community.  The  materia) 
is  sent  and  reports  are  received  by  mail;  letters  take 
the  place  of  visits. 

Workers'  Group 

The  chief  engineer  in  a  pumping  station  had  joined 
the  Home  Department,  and  several  months  later  joined 
the  Church.  ''Now,"  said  the  Home  Department 
superintendent,^  "what  about  the  other  men  at  the 
works?     Can't  you  help  get  them  interested?" 

Some  time  later  the  superintendent  visited  the  sta- 
tion. The  chief  engineer  opened  a  drawer  and  showed 
five  quarterlies,  representing  five  men  who  studied  their 
lessons  in  spare  time.  The  noise  seemed  deafening,  but 
the  engineer  said  that  the  men  were  so  used  to  it  that 
they  could  discuss  their  lessons  without  difficulty,  and 
also  have  prayer  with  their  visitor. 

Old  Ladies'  Home  Group 

A  visitor  who  spent  one  afternoon  each  quarter  with 

a  group  of  fifty-seven  old  ladies  made  the  following 

report:    "The  matron  permits  me  to  have  them  come 

together  for  a  little  meeting.    We  read,  have  a  word  of 

78 


i^toup  Morfe  79 


prayer,  and  then  they  are  asked  to  call  for  their  favorite 
hj^mns.  I  wish  you  could  hear  those  quivering  voices 
sing  the  old  familiar  tunes,  and  see  the  looks  on  their 
faces  as  the  singing  brings  back  memories  of  other  days. 
Then  we  exchange  experiences  with  reference  to  the 
lesson  study.  I  send  them  birthday  cards,  and  an 
occasional  letter  to  be  read  to  the  whole  class,  and  try 
to  keep  in  touch  with  them  during  the  quarter." 

A  Penitentiary  Group 

The  visitor  of  a  group  in  the  women's  section  of  the 
Eastern  Penitentiary  in  Philadelphia  reports: 

"I  telephoned  the  warden  beforehand  and  asked 
for  the  privilege  of  holding  a  meeting  with  the  inmates. 
Then  I  invited  a  prominent  woman  speaker,  my  own 
superintendent,  and  another  visitor.  When  we  arrived, 
the  matron  went  along  the  corridor  on  one  side,  and  I 
on  the  other,  inviting  the  women  to  the  assembly  room. 
The  cell  doors  were  opened  and  they  all  came. 

*'You  should  have  heard  them  sing!  Some  of  them 
wiped  their  eyes  as  familiar  hymns  were  sung.  I  then 
told  them  of  letters  which  I  had  received  from  those 
who  had  left  the  prison  and  were  now  living  useful 
lives.  I  asked  how  many  would  be  leaving  before  my 
next  visit,  and  told  them  to  give  me  their  addresses 
so  that  I  could  correspond  with  them.  Then  we  dis- 
tributed the  quarterhes  and  the  reports  for  the  lessons 
studied  were  given. 

"After  the  meeting,  by  special  permission  from  the 
matron,  all  four  of  us  engaged  in  personal  conversation 


80  tlTlje  ?^ome  department 

with  the  prisoners.  We  visited  every  cell  and  examined 
the  handwork  which  they  had  made  and  were  offering 
for  sale.  The  cells  are  all  immaculately  clean  and  the 
inmates  try  to  make  them  homelike.  One  Italian 
mother  was  there  with  her  little  baby,  and  we  secured 
the  baby's  name  for  the  Cradle  Roll.". 

Group  Work  with  Foreigners 

One  of  the  greatest  of  America's  tasks  is  the  assimi- 
lation of  her  vast  foreign-speaking  population.  There 
are  millions  of  adults  in  America  who  can  neither  read 
nor  write  the  English  language,  who  know  little  or 
nothing  of  the  law  of  the  land  or  its  history,  who  are 
not  in  sympathy  with  the  Government  and  its  insti- 
tutions, and  who,  therefore,  fall  an  easy  prey  to  the 
enemies  of  law  and  order.  The  press  is  the  most  im- 
portant medium  for  the  dissemination  of  knowledge 
both  good  and  bad.  The  socialist,  the  anarchist,  the 
Bolshevist,  and  all  enemies  of  organized  government 
are  making  ample  use  of  the  press,  in  papers,  period- 
icals, pamphlets,  and  even  volumes,  setting  forth  their 
views.  They  have  flooded  the  foreign  population  with 
free  literature  on  all  subjects. 

It  is  a  mistaken  idea  that  these  people  are  not  eager 
to  learn.  If  they  cannot  read,  they  frequently  will 
gather  together  to  have  a  new  tract  or  pamphlet, 
which  has  been  left  at  their  door,  read  to  them. 

If  we  believe  that  the  teaching  of  the  Bible  is  the 
solution  of  the  problems  confronting  any  nation,  we 
surely  should  be  concerned  that  the  Word  of  God  be 


(^roup  Hork  81 


placed  in  the  homes  of  these  people  in  the  language 
which  they  can  understand,  and  that  weekly  and 
monthly  publications  containing  material  on  moral 
and  social  uplift  be  provided,  so  that  they  shall  come 
to  love  the  land  of  their  adoption,  appreciate  its  heritage 
and  its  institutions,  understand  its  laws,  and  thus  be- 
come good  American  citizens.  The  Christian  Church 
must  remember  that  these  are  the  parents  of  millions 
of  coming  Americans,  that  if  this  nation  is  to  be  a 
Christian  nation,  these  people  must  be  reached. 

The  Home  Department  can  help  much  in  this  work. 
Ma.terial  has  been  provided  in  many  languages,  and 
gospels  and  tracts  may  be  had  in  every  tongue.  With 
organization  and  material  at  hand,  there  is  no  excuse 
why  these  people  should  not  be  reached  and  linked  up 
with  the  Christian  Church. 

One  Home  Department  visitor,  who  has  a  group 
representing  five  different  languages,  reports: 

^'I  do  not  always  get  a  report,  and  yet  I  consider 
the  work  well  worth  while.  Recently  I  was  invited  to 
the  home  of  one  of  my  Italian  members,  where  they 
were  having  a  birthday  party.  Two  of  the  little  chil- 
dren had  been  attending  our  vacation  school.  While 
I  could  not  speak  to  them  in  their  own  language,  I 
had  seen  the  children  at  the  school,  and,  knowing  the 
mother  well,  I  managed  somehow  to  get  acquainted 
with  the  rest  of  the  party.  Just  before  I  was  ready  to 
leave,  the  little  girls  asked  me  if  I  would  sing  one  of 
the  school  songs  with  them.  We  then  sang  several 
evangelistic  hymns  and  I  taught  them  the  chorus  of 
6 


82  ^i)e  J^omt  department 

one  of  the  songs.  Just  before  I  left,  the  mother  (my 
own  member)  asked  me  to  bring  several  papers  next 
time  as  some  of  the  women  present  wanted  to  join  my 
group.  I  also  bring  them  papers  in  their  own  language, 
which  our  church  provides." 

Review  -Questions 

1.  Is  the  department  work  confined  to  the  individual 
home? 

2.  How  is  a  correspondence  group  conducted? 

3.  Who  may  be  members  of  such  a  group? 

4.  Name  some  other  places  where  group  work  may 
be  carried  on. 

5.  What  can  the  Sunday  school  do  for  the  foreign- 
speaking  peoples  in  our  country? 

6.  What  can  the  religious  press  do? 

7.  What  materials  are  available  for  the  Home  De- 
partment's use? 


XIV 

3iis(trict,  Countp,  ^tate,  anb  Snternational 
(©tgani^ation 

The  Home  Department  to  do  its  most  effective  work 
must  have  a  complete  field  organization,  beginning 
with  the  district.  The  district  superintendent,  usually 
elected  at  the  district  convention  but  in  some  of  the 
states  appointed  by  the  county  superintendent,  is  an 
indispensable  part  of  a  successful  county  organiza- 
tion. The  district  superintendent  should  call  together 
the  superintendents,  officers,  and  visitors  of  all  the 
Home  Departments  in  the  district  for  organization. 
A  secretary  and  a  treasurer  should  be  elected  and  a 
Devotional  Committee,  a  Program  Committee,  and  a 
Social  Committee  appointed.  The  meetings  should  be 
held  at  least  semi-annually,  and  should  be  in  the  nature 
of  a  conference  or  a  demonstration.  Each  department 
should  be  asked  to  contribute  a  stated  sum  for  the 
expense  of  speakers,  postage,  and  stationery. 

Duties 'of  the  .District  Superintendent 

1.  To  keep  in  close  touch  with  the  county  superin- 
tendent. 

2.  To  distribute  any  material  which  the  county  is 
sending  to  the  schools  in  a  district. 

3.  To  visit  every  school  where  there  is  no  Home 

83 


84  '^f)t  ?iome  department 

Department  and  try  to  secure  time  to  speak  at  a  school 
session.  If  this  fails,  to  try  to  find  some  key  person  in 
that  school  and  work  through  him.  (It  is  a  good  plan 
for  the  district  superintendent  to  appoint  several  com- 
mittees, consisting  of  two  members  each.  Assign  one 
school  to  each  committee  for  visitation,  and  have  the 
reports  at  the  district  meeting.) 

4.  To  take  special  interest  in  all  the  departments 
and  encourage  them  to  reach  the  state  standard. 

5.  To  plan  with  the  Program  Committee  for  the  dis- 
trict rally,  and  make  special  effort  to  secure  representa- 
tives from  schools  having  no  departments  to  attend  the 
rally. 

6.  To  gather  the  statistical  reports  from  every  de- 
partment in  the  district  and  see  that  they  reach  the 
county  superintendent  on  time. 

7.  To  give  a  report  at  the  annual  meeting  of  dis- 
trict superintendents.  (This  meeting  should  be  held 
in  connection  with  the  county  convention.) 

The  county  superintendent  is  elected  by  the  county 
convention  and  is  a  member  of  the  county  Executive 
Committee. 

Duties  of  the  County  Superintendent 

1.  To  appoint  the  district  superintendents,  where 
these  are  not  elected  by  the  district  conventions. 

2.  To  meet  with  the  district  superintendents  as  soon 
as  possible  after  the  county  convention  and  plan  with 
them  the  work  for  the  coming  year. 

3.  To  hold  an  extra  meeting  with  these  workers  to- 


Jfielb  (i^rgani^ation  85 

ward  the  close  of  the  year  to  plan  for  the  annual  county 
convention. 

4.  To  see  that  the  statistical  report  blanks  reach  the 
district  superintendents  on  time. 

5.  To  plan  especially  for  cooperation  of  the  district 
superintendents  at  spring  conferences  and  county  con- 
ventions, and  to  assign  some  definite  work,  such  as: 

(a.)  Securing  delegates  from  indifferent  schools. 
(6.)  Coming  prepared  to  answer  a  definite  difficult 

question, 
(c.)  Coming  prepared  to  tell  of  some  especially  suc- 
cessful work. 
(d.)  Coming  prepared  to  give  an  outline  of  a  district 
organization,  and  having  several  of  the  district 
superintendents  prepared  to  take  part  in  dis- 
cussion. 

6.  To  address  public  meetings  and  Sunday-school 
board  meetings  as  opportunities  may  offer,  and  in 
every  way  to  further  the  interest  of  the  department. 

The  state  superintendent  is  usually  elected  by  the 
state  Executive  Committee  and  is  chairman  of  the 
state  Home  Department  Committee. 

Duties  of  the  State  Superintendent 

1.  To  attend  all  state  Executive  Committee  meetings. 

2.  To  preside  at  the  meetings  of  the  state  Home 
Department  Committee.  In  states  where  the  super- 
intendent is  not  chairman  of  this  committee,  the 
superintendent  should  attend  the  meetings  and  pre- 
sent plans  for  the  work. 


86  ^f}t  l^ome  department 


3.  To  keep  in  close  touch  with  the  county  superin- 
tendents, to  furnish  them  with  definite  aims  for  the 
year's  work,  to  call  attention  to  special  opportunities, 
to  help  plan  the  spring  institutes,  and  to  see  that  the 
statistical  blanks  reach  them  on  time. 

4.  To  furnish  material  for  the  Home  Department 
column  of  the  state  paper. 

5.  To  plan  with  the  committee  for  the  state  con- 
vention conferences,  to  secure  speakers,  and  to  see 
that  this  department  is  given  every  opportunity  to 
have  its  work  presented  at  this  important  yearly 
gathering. 

6.  To  plan  for  conferences  in  each  county  during  the 
year;  to  attend  as  many  as  possible  or  to  see  that  the 
Home  Department  Committee  is  represented. 

7.  To  attend  all  county  conventions  or  delegate  some 
member  of  the  Home  Department  Committee  to  repre- 
sent the  state. 

8.  To  pray,  to  plan,  to  work,  for  the  interest  of  the 

department. 

Plan  of  Organization 

The  Home  Department  is  now  part  of  the  Adult 
Division.  The  following  recommendations  were  adopted 
at  the  Home  Department  conference  of  the  Interna- 
tional Convention  in  June,  1918,  at  Buffalo: 

1.  That  the  Home  Department  maintain  its  auton- 
omy of  organization,  both  in  the  Sunday-school  associ- 
ation and  in  the  local  Sunday  school. 

2.  That  there  be  an  international,  state,  county,  dis- 
trict, and  local  superintendent. 


jFielti  d^rgani^ation  87 

The  following  plan  of  organization  has  been  adopted 
by  the  International  Home  Department  Committee : 

1.  That  a  Home  Department  superintendent  be 
elected  in  every  state  and  province. 

2.  That  a  Home  Department  Committee  be  ap- 
pointed in  each  state  and  province,  who,  together  with 
the  superintendent,  shall  plan  for  and  help  promote 
the  work. 

3.  That  each  state  and  province  be  districted,  and  a 
member  of  said  committee  be  assigned  to  each  district 
as  a  state  or  a  provincial  representative,  to  consult 
with  the  workers  and  help  promote  the  work  in  his 
district. 

4.  That  the  state  and  provincial  Home  Department 
Committee  be  represented  through  its  members  at 
each  county  convention  and  as  many  institutes  as  pos- 
sible, to  help  in  the  conferences  and  to  present  the 
work  if  so  requested. 

5.  That  special  effort  be  made  by  this  committee 
to  secure  time  at  the  state  and  provincial  conventions, 
county  conventions  and  institutes,  for  the  presentation 
of  the  Home  Department  work  on  the  general  conven- 
tion program,  and  that  at  least  one  full-session  separate 
conference  be  held. 

6.  That  a  standard  for  Home  Department  work  be 
adopted  in  each  state  and  province,  to  stimulate 
definite  activities,  and  to  unify  efforts  for  higher  attain- 
ments in  the  work. 

The  International  Committee  of  Home  Department 
work  is  a  committee  of  the  Adult  Division.    The  chair- 


88  ^Jje  J^ome  department 

man  of  this  committee  is  elected  by  the  International 
Executive  Committee,  and  the  members  of  the  com- 
mittee are  appointed  by  the  chairman,  subject  to  the 
approval  of  the  Executive  Committee.  This  committee 
carries  on  the  work  of  the  department  in  the  inter- 
national field,  in  shaping  its  policies,  presenting  plans 
of  organization  and  work,  cooperating  with  organiza- 
tions similarly  interested,  and  in  unifying  and  stimulat- 
ing the  work  throughout  the  entire  field. 

Review  Questions 

1.  How  is  the  district  superintendent  secured? 

2.  Give  an  outline  of  a  district  organization. 

3.  How  frequently  should  this  organization  meet  and 
what  should  be  the  nature  of  the  meeting? 

4.  What  are  some  of  the  important  duties  of  a  dis- 
trict superintendent? 

5.  How  is  the  county  superintendent  elected? 

6.  What  special  meetings  should  the  county  super- 
intendent hold  with  the  district  superintendent? 

7.  How  should  plans  be  prepared  for  spring  confer- 
ences and  county  conventions? 

8.  Give  some  further  duties  of  the  county  superm- 
tendent. 

9.  How  is  the  state  supermtendent  elected? 

10.  What  recommendations  were  adopted  at  Buffalo 
regarding  the  Home  Department? 

11.  Give   an   outline   of   the   plan    of   organization 
adopted  by  the  International  Committee. 

12.  How  is  the  International  Committee  constituted, 
and  what  is  its  work? 


XV 

The  object  of  a  standard  is  to  produce  special  effort 
to  reach  a  higher  place  of  achievement  than  that  al- 
ready attained.  The  chief  object  of  having  a  stan- 
dard for  Home  Department  work  is  to  stimulate 
definite  activities  and  to  unify  the  effort  for  higher 
attainment.  All  too  often  the  work  is  done  in  a  hap- 
hazard way,  and  in  many  instances  the  department 
receives  little  or  no  support  from  the  school  of  which 
it  should  be  a  vital  part.  Many  departments,  which 
barely  held  their  own  before  a  standard  was  adopted, 
were  quickened  by  the  effort  to  attain  the  requirements 
of  the  standard. 

The  following  are  some  of  the  standards  adopted  by 
various  states: 

New  Jersey 

1.  Regularly  appointed  or  elected  superintendent 
and  visitor. 

2.  A  quarterly  meeting  of  the  workers  for  business 
and  conference. 

3.  Systematic  effort  for  new  members  throughout 
the  year. 

4.  Ministration  to  members  in  illness  or  distress. 

5.  At  least  one  social  function  a  year  for  the  mem- 
bers. 

89 


90  ®f)e  ^ome  Bepattment 

6.  An  annual  Home  Department  Day  in  Sunday 
school  or  church. 

7.  Members  invited  to  all  special  services  of  the 
Sunday  school  and  church. 

8.  Membership  roll  on  the  wall  of  the  Sunday  school. 


Ohio 

1.  A  Home  Department  superintendent  (and  visitors 
if  needed) . 

2.  Systematic  effort  for  new  members. 

3.  Home  Department  Roll  on  the  wall  (containing 
names  of  the  Home  Department  members) . 

4.  Home  Department  card  index  or  book  containing 
names,  residences,  and  other  necessary  information. 

5.  Members  welcomed  as  visitors  in  Sunday  school. 

6.  Removals  registered. 

7.  Members  remembered  in  sickness  or  in  case  of 
trouble. 

8.  An  annual  Home  Department  Day. 

9.  An  occasional  social  affair  for  members. 

10.  Members  invited  to  Special  Day  services. 

11.  Helpful  literature  sent  to  members. 

12.  Effort  made  to  establish  family  altar. 

Ontario,  Canada 
1.  Organization. 

(a.)  A  superintendent,  and  visitors  if  needed. 
(6.)  An  annual  report  to  the  township,  county,  or 
city  Sunday-school  association. 


^tate  ^tanbarbsJ  91 


2.  Records. 

(a.)  Card  index  or  address  book,  with  removals  and 
other  ciianges  registered. 

(6.)  Records  kept  of  lessons  studied  and  of  contri- 
butions. 

3.  Honor  Roll. 

An  ''Honor  Roll"  for  perfect  work  in  keeping  of 
membership  obligations,  reported  to  the  members  quar- 
terly. 

4.  Reports. 

Home  Department  work  reported  to  the  main 
school  quarterly. 

5.  Members  Visited. 

(a.)  Each  member  visited  at  least  quarterly. 
(b.)  Lesson  helps  and  other  helpful  literature  sup- 
plied to  members, 
(c.)  Remembered  in  sickness  or  trouble. 

6.  Special  Days. 

(a.)  A  "Home  Department  Day  "or  similar  recog- 
nition in  the  school. 
(b.)  An  occasional  social  effort. 

7.  Annual  Canvass. 

Systematic  annual  canvass  for  new  members. 

8.  Church  Membership. 

At  least  forty  per  cent  of  the  resident  Church 
members  who  are  not  in  the  Sunday  school  enrolled  in 
the  Home  Department,  in  addition  to  the  non-Church 
members- 


92  ^f)t  H^omt  department 

9.  Membership  Gradation. 

At  least  fifty  per  cent  of  the  homes  represented 
registered  under  Grade  A. 

10.  Family  Worship  Aim. 

A  Grade  A  member  in  each  of  at  least  twenty-five 
per  cent  of  the  homes  of  the  congregation,  members 
and  adherents. 

Illinois 

1.  Membership. 

(a.)  At  least  seventy-five  per  cent  of  the  member- 
ship studying  and  reporting  study  of  some 
lessons. 

(b.)  At  least  fifty  per  cent  making  some  contribu- 
tion of  money. 

(c.)  At  least  twentj^-five  per  cent  enrolling  under 
Grade  A. 

2.  Service. 

(a.)  By  school. 

(1)  Home  Department  membership  roll  on  the 

wall. 

(2)  Annual  Home  Department  Day  and  Home 

Department  members  invited  to  Special  Daj^ 
services. 
(6.)  By  Home  Department  workers. 

(1)  Secretarial  record  (on  card  index  or  book)  of 
members. 

(2)  Home  Department  quarterly  report  read  in 
school  session  each  quarter. 


^tate  ^tanbarbsf  93 


(3)  Conference  on  work  at  least  quarterly,  by- 

superintendent  and  visitors. 

(4)  Resident  members  visited  at  least  quarterly 
and  new  members  sought  for. 

(5)  Occasional  socials  for  members. 

Review  Questions 

1.  What  is  the  object  of  having  a  standard? 

2.  What  difficulties  will  a  Home  Department  stan- 
dard help  to  overcome? 

3.  How  does  a  standard  help  indifferent  departments? 

4.  Name  some  things  a  standard  should  contain. 

5.  From  your  study  of  the  standards  in  this  chapter, 
make  your  own  outline  of  a  model  standard. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Books  of  Method 

Home  Classes  and  the  Home  Department  of  the  Sunday 
School.     Hazard. 

Home  Department  Blue  Book.     Meigs. 

Home  Department  Workers.     Fergusson. 

The  Home  Department  of  To-Day.     Stebbins. 

The  Home  Department  How  Book.    Meacham  and  DePew. 

Books  on  Religious  Training  in  the  Home 

An  Old-Fashioned  Home.     Chapman. 

Religious  Education  in  the  Family.     Cope. 

Bible  Reading  and  Religious  Training  in  the  Home.    Veach. 

Pleasant  Sunday  Afternoons  for  the  Children.    Faris. 

Religious  Training  in  the  School  and  Home.  Sneath,  Hodges, 
and  Tweedy. 

Mothers  and  Children.     Fisher. 

Religion  in  the  Home  (pamphlet) .  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publi- 
cation and  Sabbath  School  Work. 

The  School  in  the  Home.     Hillis. 

Mothers  and  Sons.     Lyttleton. 

The  Making  of  Character.     MacCunn. 

Books  on  Parenthood 
We  and  Our  Children.     Hutchinson. 
The  Kallikak  Family.     Goddard. 
The  Right  of  the  Child  to  Be  Well  Born.     Dawson. 
The  Mothercraft  Manual.     Read. 
Self-Training  for  Motherhood.     Lovejoy. 

94 


Jdibliogtapfjp  95 


Books  on  Family  Worship 

Day  After  Day.     Chapman. 

When  Home  Is  Heaven.     Chapman. 

A  Book  of  Family  Worship.  (Presbyterian  Board  of  Pubhca- 
tion  and  Sabbath  School  Work.) 

Children's  Devotions.     Verkuyl. 

Bits  of  Pasture.     Miller. 

Home  Making.     Miller. 

Weekday  Religion.     Miller. 

Family  Prayer.     Miller. 

Leaflets  published  by  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication 
and  Sabbath  School  V/ork: 

Religion  in  the  Home. 

Building  the  Family  Altar. 

The  Use  of  Family  Prayer. 

Christ  and  the  Homes  of  America. 

Home  Training  and  Christianity. 

Books  on  Self-Knowledge 

The  American  Child.     McCracken. 

Moral  Instruction  of  Children.     Adler. 

As  the  Twig  Is  Bent.     Chenery. 

The  Boy  Problem  in  the  Home.     Forbush. 

Child  Nature  and  Child  Nurture.     St.  John. 

Boy  and  Girl  Adolescent  Period.     Fiske. 

Children's  Rights.     Wiggin  and  Smith. 

The  Stor}'  of  Life  for  Children.     Lutes. 

The  Spark  of  Life.     Morley. 

How  Shall  I  Tell  My  Child.     Chapman. 

When  a  Boy  Becomes  a  Man.     Bisseker. 

Instead  of  ''WHd  Oats."     HaU. 

The  Changing  Girl.     Latimer. 

Almost  a  Man.     Allen. 

Almost  a  Woman.     Allen. 

The  Man  Wonderful.     Allen. 

Teaching  Truth.     Allen. 

Confidences:  Talks  with  a  Young  Girl.     Lowry. 


96  ^f)e  ^ome  department 

Truths:  Talks  with  a  Boy.     Lowry. 
Booklets 

Prenatal  Influences.     Caldwell. 
The  Story  of  Life  for  Little  Children.     Whitney. 
The  Right  of  the  Child  to  Be  Well  Born.     Arvin. 
Talk  with  the  King's  Daughter.     Caldwell. 

Books  on  Personal  Work 

The  Passion  for  Men.     Hallenbeck. 
The  Method  of  the  Master.     Peck. 
Rescue  the  Perishing.     Seibert. 
Soul  Winning.     Potter. 
The  Book  of  Personal  Work.     Paris. 

Material  for  Work  Among  Foreigners 

(Presb3rterian  Board  of  PubUcation  and  Sabbath  School  Work) 
L'Era  Nuova.     Italian  Weekly. 

Krestanske  Listy.     Czechoslovak  Weekly.     (Bohemian.) 
Sojuz.     Ruthenian  Weekly. 

Amerikai-Magyar-Reformatusok-Lapja.    Hungarian  Weekly. 
Slowa  Zywota.     Polish  Monthly. 

(Other  Publishers) 

Swedish  Quarte^l3^  Swedish  Publishing  Company,  180  N. 
Dearborn  Street,  Chicago. 

Norwegian  Quarterly.  Evangelisten  Publishing  Society,  3525 
Fullerton  Avenue,  Chicago. 

Greek  Magazine,  Truth.  307  Market  Street,  Lowell,  Massa- 
chusetts. 

French  Magazine.    23  Bleury  Street,  Montreal,  Canada. 

Tracts,  gospels,  and  religious  books,  in  all  languages,  may  be 
secured  from  the  American  Bible  Society,  Bible  House,  Astor 
Place,  New  York  City,  or  any  of  its  branches;  American  Tract 
Society,  Park  Place  and  Fortieth  Street,  New  York  City;  Bible 
Institute  Colportage  Association,  826  N.  Lasalle  Street,  Chicago; 
and  also  through  the  publishing  houses  of  several  of  the  larger 
denominations. 


Date  Due 

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